ROADBLOCK SERIES #2: FEAR. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.
Overcoming FEAR takes work. Two kinds of it actually: net and team.
Just the phrase “Fear of the Unknown” seems to be a little confusing. Why do we respond with fear to an unknown situation? Is this the appropriate response? The problem is that we don’t know the proper response. So, we naturally protect ourselves and treat the situation as a threat.
Responding with fear is a conditioned response. When we get ourselves in situations where we don’t have enough information to determine what we should feel, we condition ourselves to respond with fear.
So, how do we break this trend? One way is to get more information. In any situation you get in, there is probably someone else who has been in that situation and has experience with it. This is the source of your information.
Network. No matter what situation I get in, I connect with others who have ‘been there and done that.’ I ask them to share their experiences, including what worked, what didn’t, how they felt, and what they learned. All of this information helps me form a clearer picture of what to expect. This way, I don’t let my mind fill in the gaps with information that may be inaccurate and result in a fear that convinces me not to take chances. Chances that could make me more successful in things I do.
When I was writing my first book, I didn’t know anyone who had done it before. I knew very little of the process. The questions I had were overwhelming. There were so many questions I didn’t know where to begin. So I just wrote down the biggest ones. Then, I went online and found the contact information for other authors. I emailed or called them and asked my questions. The more I did this, the easier it got. Why? I was making the unfamiliar, familiar. That’s what it takes. Now, I have a lot of connections to authors and no fear of the process.
Teamwork. Finding people who will share their experiences is a good approach to eradicating fear. However, there are times I want a quick answer to my questions and networking to find that someone who can provide the solution may take longer than I want. To overcome the latency in finding answers, I created a team of people similar to myself. We are all driven to succeed, motivated to try and eager to learn. We share our thoughts and dreams. Then, we help each other bring those dreams out of the darkness and into reality.
When I face a new situation, I refer to my team members who share their thoughts and feelings on the situation. Even if they haven’t experienced a similar situation, they provide additional insight. My fear of the situation can only drive me from my experiences. Since my team isn't experiencing this fear, they are a little more open-minded and are able to provide a more realistic assessment. Again, this fills in the gaps in my mind, releasing me of the fear of what I don’t know, because now I have a better idea of what to expect.
Eradicating fear can be done by simply informing yourself. If you don’t have the information, find those twho do. Filling the gaps in your mind will provide you enough information to create the correct response, which is, you don’t need to fear anything.
Remember, erase fear with work. Network and teamwork are great solutions.
ROADBLOCK SERIES #1: GOALS
In the last post, we presented the results of our survey that defined many ROADBLOCKS to our career success. Now we will start a series of posts that will provide the information you need to overcome each ROADBLOCK.
Here’s the first post in the series.
ROADBLOCKS: Establish and Focus on Your Goals
Why define goals?
Have you ever shopped at the grocery store when you forgot your shopping list at home? You couldn’t remember everything you needed so you had to leave knowing you didn’t get it all. Maybe you felt a little disappointed. Depending on what you forgot, you may have had to make a second ‘unplanned’ trip.
Two important points here. The first is that you created more work for yourself by forgetting what you needed. The second is that depending on what activity you’re engaged in, you may only get one opportunity. If the previous example was your only opportunity, such as making the most of a networking opportunity with executives, you missed it.
You have a great resource that can overcome these obstacles; that is, your subconscious. However, to set it on its journey to find you success, you need to tell it where you want to go.

The subconscious. It’s where you keep long-term memories that affect your behavior, such as fear. It is also the source of your creativity and intuition. It has the ability to make sense out of environmental cues and patterns that our conscious mind isn’t aware of. Your subconscious has a great deal of mental ability. If you’ve ever solved a problem in your sleep, you’ve had a glimpse at what it can do. But there’s much more to it.
By defining your goals, or building your roadmap to success, you give you subconscious everything it needs to guide you on the path. You just need to take a little conscious thought and put it on paper. Read it out loud to yourself to engage your whole brain and engrave into your subconscious. Then you go about your normal daily routines. You don’t have to actively think about opportunities because your subconscious will do that for you.
Things change and so will your plans, if you want them to. You just need to keep track of your needs and desires to make sure your goals coincide with them.
Defining major goals. As previously mentioned, you should focus on your needs and desires. Write them down. Then, define ways to meet them. Think broadly. Maybe you want to be a business owner, actor, or a doctor. You should define goals that can be measured, tracked and achieved. A certain amount of reality is important here. If you want to be a millionaire, realize that may require great sacrifice or risk. If you know you won’t do it, then don’t set plans for it.
Defining the path. With each goal in mind, think of ways to get to each goal. With these definitions, you should include more clarity by identifying activities that can be engaged to get you closer to the result you want; that is, your goal. Some goals may require many activities. Identify them the best you can but realize that your subconscious may later identify a better way to get there. Writing something down now gives your mind a starting point to begin its creative thought. Remaining open minded provides your subconscious the real estate it needs to be truly creative.
Defining the timeline. After you have activities listed, try to put an amount of time down to achieve it. Pick a date on the calendar. This will serve to motivate you to complete it. Please note this requires discipline. I wrote my first book in 3 years. I can’t tell you how many times I stopped and started again. Many times I struggled to figure out where I left off and what my trail of thought was at the time I last worked on it. However, I was determined to finish it and I did. Push yourself to complete the activities.
Celebrate. Once you complete an activity, celebrate it. Too many times we try similar things looking for different results. This disappointment forces us to create the belief that engaging in the activity is pointless and will be fruitless. Celebrating your successes keeps you upbeat and motivated to continue. You won’t achieve your goals without disappointments but you don’t have to let them keep you from getting there.
Focus. As I learned with my book, focus is difficult. I’m married with 3 small kids so I didn’t have to create an excuse to not work on the book. Excuses were everywhere. So, I chose to share my career map with my closest friends and family. I used them to keep me on track and schedule. You see, I didn’t won’t to be seen as a slacker or disappoint my closest friends. They motivated me to continue. I encouraged them to praise me when I did well and chastise me when I did poorly. Open yourself up to those around you. You’ll be surprised to find that many will help you achieve your goals. Just show passion and drive for your goals. People respond well to it.
You go to the grocery store with a list in such a simple activity. Yet, many choose to go without one in the most important things they will do in life. We can’t define the map to your success for you but we can help you get there.

The next issue of Personal Branding Magazine is set to be released on May 1st, but you can download a free sample copy early (starting today) if you want. The focus for this issue is on the future of recruiting and jobs. The 9-page sample issue has 5 articles and is a great read. The full issue will have 25 articles including an exclusive and in-depth interview with Robert McGovern, founder of Jobfox.com and Careerbuilder.com. It also includes interviews with Indeed founder Paul Forster and well-known bloggers, such as Joel Cheesman.
Publishers Note: Volume 1 Issue 4 ends the first full volume of Personal Branding Magazine. As personal branding becomes the differentiator for career development, many new channels have opened up and the internet is a recruiting stomping ground for all those who leverage it’s power. Between hiring candidates websites, and even job aggregators, the times have changed and we must be ready. Human resources is rapidly evolving by branding their companies as the employer of choice and there is a sudden war for talent, despite an economic recession in the United States. In this issue, we interview all the thought leaders who are entering the online recruiting and branding space, as well as take a closer look as to how networking plays a role in bridging recruiters with interested applicants. Only the strongest employers and candidates will survive. By reading this issue, you will have the knowledge needed in order to confront the recruitment process and be victorious…Dan Schawbel, Publisher, Personal Branding Magazine
As I discuss in my book, Blitz the Ladder, Personal branding is an important aspect of your career that we all must manage and it has a huge impact on how we are perceived. The magazine takes a look at each of those areas, and gives thoughts and ideas on how we can best use personal branding in those arenas. This issue’s focus on recruitment really brings home the point that how we brand ourselves in one area can spill over and effect our chances at being hired in another area.
Click here to get the free sample issue.
The full issue will be available here as of May 1, 2008.
(An annual subscription costs $12.95 for 4 issues, and 50% of the proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society)
Never Climb Alone,
Todd
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In my recent visit to a major PC manufacturer, I was amazed at the global diversity of its operations. With operations in multiple different countries, the parent company employees find themselves with less and less personal interactions in the course of their normal business day. A lot of communication is electronic or face-to-face at another company such as a branch office, subcontractor or supplier. So I asked some of the employees "how could someone climb the corporate ladder in such a virtual environment?" The answer was simply to take on more work. An "eager" individual could choose to manage more projects or initiatives, increasing their visibility to more people. This should remind you of the presidential campaigns. You get more votes by visiting more people in more locations.
For those seeking a work-life balance or some resemblance of a life outside of work, this can present somewhat of a challenge. How do you actually gain any career mobility in such diverse organizations? Most large organizations are already in this situation or trending towards it to increase their profit margins, the outlook that it will change anytime soon is bleak.
Naturally all of us would like to achieve continued success in our careers for which we all define the amount of work we will put into it to achieve it. For me, I'm usually seeking it in many different arenas at the same time in hopes something pays off. Yet, I still love my free time.
So how do we maintain a balance and still achieve continued success? It starts with finding more efficient ways to do what it takes to be more successful. Very few argue the importance of establishing a personal brand. When you don't have a lot of interaction with management, you need a great brand to speak for you.
With Mass branding techniques, you can create your brand by maximizing its exposure. An easy way to think about it is to watch the news to see how the politicians promote themselves. They campaign but do it in a way that reaches the most people in a single event. Trying to improve your brand in the normal course of daily interaction with those in your company will take too long, even if you live there. So, build your brand faster by using these Mass Branding techniques.
1. Speaking. This can be inside the company (e.g. you give a training class) or outside the company (e.g. church, toastmasters, schools). Never pass up on a chance to captivate an audience. Just by taking the opportunity you show that you aren't afraid of the "lime light." It shows you can handle pressure and stress. You don't have to be a great speaker. You can treat it just like a normal conversation. You can even engage the audience by asking them questions, which takes the light off of you.
2. Volunteering. Companies are run by people. People live in neighborhoods. Neighborhoods engage in activities that support their ideals, values and quest for happiness. Inclusion in such activities provides opportunity to create and share ideas, learn and let people know who you are. A friend of mine managed a fundraiser that included a 5k fun run. He took the opportunity to speak to everyone before the race. He had the stage in front of hundreds of people. These are the opportunities you need to seek out. Volunteer in neighborhoods and events that you feel have the audience you need. Then, wow them.
3. Writing. The Internet is the best place to reach a vast audience quickly. Creating your brand couldn't be easier. Take every opportunity to write comments on blogs. But not just any blog. Find the most popular ones. That increases visibility. Make connections with those popular authors and share your purpose. Create your own blog or website. People will help you promote yourself. Make connections. Just be willing to help them in return. Promote others. Share in your success. Share your knowledge. Give, give, give and people will respond.
4. Teaming. Build your own branding team. Get together with some friends, create a marketing plan for each of you and then go out and market your brand. This can be done inside and outside the organization. Building brand inside an organization is built much faster when someone else is singing your praises. If it's just you, it sounds like you're just tooting your own horn. Of course, you can do a little of that too.
If you look at all four techniques, I named them using action words. This is because the biggest problem with building a brand is that it takes work. Work is required to get the word out. People inside your company don't know that much about you because they don't work directly with you or associate with you on the outside. People in your neighborhood may not know you because they don't have the opportunity to interface with you. Make these opportunities. When you do, make it a big event. This will help create that brand a lot faster. It's the best way to form a Career Campaign!
Best of luck and let me know how I can help.
Never Climb Alone,
Todd
You hear it everyday on the news. Over and over, we’re told that all indicators are trending towards a recession. Some of them certainly are. We know unemployment is climbing, oil prices are at record levels and the housing market is certainly in pain. Inflation is at its highest point in 18 years. If you’re employed, this just means that life will get more expensive. If you’re unemployed or in an occupation that may get you there during a recession, it’s time for new strategy.
Let’s take a look at two things: recession proof jobs and recession proof career strategy.
Recession Proof Jobs. Rather than waste your time reading a lot of text, here’s a list of jobs/industries that are usually safe in a recession. While no industry is completely immune, these are safer than most.
If you’re unemployed or seeking a change, you may want to get into one of these industries before the recession. Afterwards, it’s…..well, you know….impossible.
Recession Proof Career Strategy. If you have a good job and don’t want to change it but are a little worried about the impact of a recession, here’s a technique that will ensure you aren’t on the top of the ‘hit’ list.
The approach described here is called the Blitz Approach. It is a team-based method for managing perception. Most experts will tell you that you don’t need to make drastic changes in how you do your work during a recession. Experts suggest you continue to meet and exceed expectations. This is where the Blitz Approach has ‘real’ power.
If you’re interested in this method, the book will be out soon. It’s called “Blitz the Ladder.” I’ll also be posting more on the book’s website and blog. Stay tuned for more tips.
blitztheladder.com