Soul Searching for Success
11/28/01

People are often first introduced to the notion of "soul searching" as a means to cope with traumatic incidents or failures. Common phrases like, "It's time for some real soul searching" invite one to take a fresh look at life. The dictionary defines "search" as a careful examination for something concealed. Could this apply to your hidden career desires, monetary goals, leadership titles, and even undiscovered talents? Sure! Here are a few questions to get the wheels turning as you prepare to do a little soul searching for success.

• Do you feel like a square peg in a round hole or do you enjoy the daily tasks of your job?
• Do you feel like your current job only scratches the surface of your talents?
• Do you get excited thinking about a particular occupation or field, other than the one you currently work in?
• Is your current position effectively using your natural and learned talents?
• Do you love what you do?

Streamline your career path with periods of reflective soul searching. You'll increase your odds of making smart career decisions that you can live with instead of risking your physical, mental, and emotional health. Whether you're looking for your first job or headed for a complete career makeover, you need to:

• Understand the role that career plays in your life.
• Know what you enjoy doing.
• Pinpoint what it is that you excel at.

Ask the Experts
Carol Orsborn, author of the best selling "Inner Excellence at Work: The Path to Meaning, Spirit and Success" told Scott S. Smith of Entrepreneur magazine (April 2000) that people need to learn how to "allow for quiet time, contemplation, listening" and be aware of your personal boiling point; the maximum amount of compromise that you're willing to accept. After that, it's time to move on to greener pastures because internal unrest, job frustration, and a lack of productivity are certain to invade your workplace.

Celia Crossley, career strategist and owner of Celia D. Crossley & Associates in Columbus, Ohio says, "People spend too much time evaluating potential opportunities, and not enough time evaluating themselves and what's important to them. A little reflective time speeds up the job search because you know what's important to you."

WorkVantage, Inc. is an innovative training and consulting group dedicated to helping people improve their quality of life by changing the way they feel about their work. "Me, Myself and I, Inc: 10 Steps to Career Independence" written by WorkVantage, Inc. founders Shirley Porter, Keith J. Porter and Christine I. Bennett emphasize:

• Define your working self as a product.
• Find your niche.
• Focus on a specialized job market instead of job description.
• Develop skills to move from where you are now to where you want to be.

Debbi Gillespie, owner and career counselor of Actions Into Passions, agrees. Gillespie advises her clients:

• Get in touch with your whole being -- body, mind and spirit.
• Develop personal vision to access inner resources, bringing depth and power to your work.
• When examining your career options, pay attention to the relationship between your skill level and your level of interest.
• Seek business partners and co-workers who share the desire to "accelerate what it is they want in their life; those who want to be true to themselves, and are willing to speak from their heart.

In Conclusion
How people live, how they think, and how they act and react to life's situations can be positively influenced through words of wisdom. In line with this philosophy, we offer to you these quotable quotes, courtesy of www.Words4U.com, from a few of the world's greatest achievers to help you grow, develop, and succeed. Print out and post these gems throughout your home and office!

"Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Find a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
Author unknown

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
James Wooden

"I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude."
Judith M. Knowlton

"An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity."
Winston Churchill

"Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs."
Mario Andretti

"The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work."
Mark Twain