Month: October 2015

Keeping the Momentum Going until You Win

Oftentimes people stop working as hard once the momentum starts accelerating. You gain some traction and all of a sudden, you think that the ‘machine can runs itself.’ That’s the biggest mistake you can ever make because this is the exact when you should be working overtime. You want to continue the good fortune that you’re currently experiencing. Below I offer the why and the how to keep the momentum going.

Why Keep the Momentum Going?

You’re not done yet. You don’t celebrate wins when you’re only 60%-70% there. You haven’t fulfilled your goal yet.

Remember how hard it was to get started

Paradigm shifts consume time and energy. You are changing your mind and routine. Imagine if you stop in the middle. You’ll have to summon up the same amount of strength and fortitude to restart. Keep going because you won’t have the same enthusiasm doing it over again.

Don’t Look Like a Quitter

Stopping in the middle makes you look like a quitter. Who wants to be around one? People avoid quitters like the plague. Quitting midstream makes you look uncommitted.

How to Keep the Momentum Going

Remember that once you’re done, you don’t have to do it ever again. For example, part of the joy of completing your degree is knowing that you’re done. Yes, trade war stories at the alumni gala but you’re glad the ‘battle of earning your degree’ is over.

Remember why you’ve started

You want to have a better future. You’ve made a decision to change your current circumstances because you don’t want to live your old life anymore. Following through until end is an important reason to keep the momentum going.

Insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result.

You don’t want to be in the same place as you’ve started. Don’t get stuck in the mud.  Remember how immobilizing mediocrity was until you started doing something different. By keeping the momentum going you are accomplishing two things simultaneously: distancing yourself from your old self and getting closer to who you want to become.

Decide to stay unstuck by keeping the momentum going right now. Your future self will thank you for it.

This Week in Positive Change Management: Self-Investment is the Best Investment

10262015 Self-Investment Is the Best Investment

The global workplace is uncertain. You don’t know if you’ll be with your current employer by the end of this week. Even the federal government isn’t safe from layoffs with sequestration. Self-investment is certain but the question everyone poses is how do you afford self-investment on a shoestring budget?

Regardless of what happens, start saving 5%-10% of your monthly income.

It provides you with a cushion to afford options. I’ve used this cushion to self-finance my PMP certification and community college courses advancing my career.

Look at your employer’s resources

Your company might offer training programs, tuition assistance for college courses and leadership development programs. These corporate courses let you cultivate and develop the necessary skills to get to the next level. I have been selected into two leadership development programs with two separate federal agencies. I have acquired new skills and obtained new sponsors who would advocate for me internally.

Community colleges

They have residency discounts with people in the county. Community colleges also specialize in workforce retraining so you won’t feel out of place with younger students like at four-year colleges. Community colleges have perennially catered to the needs of older workers retooling themselves for the current marketplace.

Libraries

Don’t sleep on libraries. They offer the best career resources. Many libraries provide free computer courses and databases to upgrade your skill set. Furthermore, they also have career books and magazines that you can read to refine yourself.

Professional organizations

Professional organizations offer continuing education through their chapters. Furthermore, they provide discounts on industry certifications. In addition, these organizations also have continuing education seminars and workshops to educate their members on current industry trends.

Alumni Associations

Many college alumni associations have online and offline educational discounts for their members. You can also use their networks to ask other members for career resources.

MOOCs (Coursera and MIT OpenCourseware)

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer free resources to upgrade your skills set on your own time. MIT OpenCourseware possesses a wealth of free courses. Coursera offers free courses and certificates for $49. Some of these courses might qualify for personal development units to renew your professional certification.

Online Courses (Ed2Go)

Ed2Go is an affordable online course website that many community colleges partner with to offer their students more options. Depending on the college, classes range from $99-$130 apiece. I have used Ed2Go to take and renew my project management certification.

Hopefully, any of these free or low-cost options will enable you to jumpstart your self-investment journey. Self-investment is the best investment.

Positive Thinking + Positive Action = Positive Result

While perusing LinkedIn this morning, I’ve come across Penny Zenker’s Why thinking positive doesn’t always get you the result’ article, (You can view the article link here: http://bit.ly/1GmlGOZ ). Her article has struck me because it’s about positivity right up http://positivitychange.com/  lane. I agree with Zenker that positive thinking alone doesn’t get you the desired result. Thinking must be paired with positive action. This combination the only way to get the desired result.

10192015 Positive Action + Positive Thinking = Positive Result

Don’t Wait Until 2016 to Be Honest

10122015 Don't Wait Do It Today

This is the final quarter of 2015. Ask yourself a question: what do you want to drop for the New Year? Think about it. Okay, well why wait until January 1, 2016? Do it now in October 2015. Why stay miserable for another 80 days? Liberate yourself from the things that weigh you down because this kind of honesty saves time and money.

Time

You have a finite amount of time on this earth. Why waste it? Honesty improves time management and eliminates waste. Stop throwing good money after bad. Honesty helps time management. You sharpen your focus on what you truly want. Directed, intentional focus always increases productivity. Increased productivity means increased visibility. Increased visibility could mean increased promotions. Right now is the time to strike because everyone is preoccupied. People are already on mental autopilot with Halloween parties and setting up discount flight alerts for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Why wait until 2016 to be honest with your time?

Money

How much money have you wasted going in the wrong direction? I admit that I have spent a couple thousands of dollars pursuing another certification because I thought that it would differentiate myself from others.  Although this additional certification would distinguish me from my competition, I’ve found another certification that more closely aligns myself with my future goals. Yes, I’ve wasted money but I’ve stopped digging and realized that I am going in another direction. I am better for it.

Conclusion

Instead of waiting until 2016, why not use this fourth quarter of 2015 to gain momentum towards your new goal. Remember, insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result. Stop this madness by being honest with yourself now in October 2015. Your future self will thank you for it.

This Week in Positive Change Management: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

10102015 Life Begins At the End of Your Comfort Zone Photo

Last Tuesday I had my first radio interview promoting my http://positivitychange.com/ site. I admitted that I was scared because I had neither been an entrepreneur nor on the radio; yet I overcame my fear of the unknown. You can too move beyond your comfort zone by following these tips:

It Requires Courage

We are all creatures of habit and love routine. As humans we are scared of change because it is unfamiliar. Trying new things forces us to grow. With promoting PositivityChange, in general, and myself, in particular, I am going to have to speak up and give interviews. I cannot hide behind an Excel spreadsheet. Change takes courage to move beyond your comfort zone but it is necessary to get to the next level.

Face Your Fears

Although I had a Toastmaster competent communicator certificate, I was way more analytical letting the data speak for me. Now I had to speak for 20 whole minutes on a radio show. I did it and survived confidently. Facing my fears was essential towards communicating my brand and I live after the interview.

Know that worst thing that can happen when you try something new is that you might fail

I was the second of two interviewers. This order took some of the anxiety off of me, however, hearing the person preceding me made me nervous. This was not her first interview but it was mine. If I did not do well, I would had chalked it up to experience. Okay so what if I bombed my first interview? It happened to a whole bunch of newbies. Furthermore, at least the radio host was interested in me. However, I did not and managed to keep calm.

Make a Plan

Having some kind of organization calmed my fears. I wrote down my site and summarized a few articles. These things massaged my nerves enough to go on air and promote myself without any glitches.  I was able to confidently answer all of the questions.

Realize that the unknown will always be there

You can’t plan for everything so just set out with good intentions and do your best. I didn’t know that the interviewer would ask me about the future of the site. (I just started it in August so it was a curveball.). I survived that question by telling her about my dreams of expanding the site and possibly doing some cross-promotions. Also when she mentioned that my MBA/economics background was rare, that surprised me too. I had these degrees for over 13 years. Their rarities didn’t register with me because these degrees were second nature. I mentioned that just put one foot in front of the other and accepted no excuses. I didn’t know what questions I would be asked but by following these tips, I made it through successfully. Hey, if I survived the unknown and my first radio interview by moving out of my comfort zone so can you!

You can listen to my Tuesday, October 6, 2015 Sharvette Mitchell interview here on Soundcloud (http://bit.ly/1FYdyo5). Also check out http://positivitychange.com/ for more positive change tips.

This Week in Positive Change Management: Positive Attitude Month Resources

As you know October is positive attitude month. We here at PositivityChange.com have culminated this week’s top three resources to help you stay positive throughout this entire week:

  1. about.com: Make the Most Of Positive Attitude Month: http://stress.about.com/od/Holidays-and-Observances-for-Stress-Management/fl/Make-the-Most-of-Positive-Attitude-Month.htm
  2. Self-Growth: October is Positive Attitude Month http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/October_is_Positive_Attitude_Month_Tips_for_Maintaining_a_Positive_Attitude.html
  3. Self-Starter Zone: http://www.selfstarterzone.com/national-positive-attitude-month/