What’s the first step in creating your dream career? Giving yourself permission to dream. Ask yourself this question right now: If you could do anything in the world and be successful at it immediately, what would you do? For some people, this is easy to answer—and those people are lucky. (I also find them to be annoyingly self-actualized and happy.) For some of us, it’s paralyzing. If you couldn’t answer the question, you aren’t alone. Years ago someone asked me a version of

A number of years ago I was part of the “dot bomb” series of layoffs at a company. Anxious about when and where I would find work, I kept imagining the worst. In an effort to chill me out, a friend of mine offered me this tidbit, “You’re not going to starve.” And it was true. I wouldn’t starve. I wouldn’t be homeless. I might have to cut back on expenses, but I wasn’t going to starve, be thrown out and living under a bridge or sleeping in doorways. Knowing that — actually, be

Looking for work is challenging. All the effort and energy comes from YOU. You’re the one who has to send out the resumes, apply for the jobs, reach out to people to network, look for job postings, etc. It’s a huge expenditure of energy that relies solely on your ability to motivate yourself. And, often, you may hear … crickets. Finding that internal motivation is critical, but often people inadvertently de-motivate themselves when it comes to their job search. For example, o

I turned 50 last week. I’m not gonna lie. It was a gut punch. I thought that, by now, my life would be all figured out and perfect. Last year on my birthday, I thought, “It’s ok that I’m not at my ideal weight. By the time I turn 50, I’ll be 50 pounds lighter and business will be booming.” Life had other things in mind for me. While I had a weight goal and a vague business goal, I did not write these down or make a concrete plan. However, I did write two words on my bathroom