Before you can change your life for the better, you must take inventory of where you are today. There are several questions that you must ask yourself before you can move on. You must be honest with yourself or you will be in the same place a year from now.
1. Where am I today?
• In debt
• No job
• Dead end job
• Hate your present job
• Poor Health
• Bad Marriage
• Physically Challenged
• Married/ not Married
• Children/ no Children
• Limited Education
• No time
• Not making enough money
• Can’t communicate well
• Limited vocabulary
• Can’t focus
• Don’t fit in
• Don’t dress well
2. What made you take the job that you are in today?
• Needed any job to pay the bills
• Temporary or you thought as the years went by
• Looked like a great career move
• Good Company
• Good stock plan
• Lots of money
• Near home – didn’t have to move
• Friends or family recommended company
• Great product or service
• Promised development and management training
3. What changed in your life?
• New Boss or management
• More hours
• Company sold or merged
• More responsibilities
• Less help
• New location
• Longer commute
• Smaller or no office
• Forced to work from your home
• Pressure due to declining sales
• Product or service does not work well
• Commissions or salary cut
• Benefits cut
• Forced Vacation
4. What changed at home?
• Divorced or going through a divorce
• Just got married
• Just had children
• Health problems
• Drugs or alcohol problems
• Death in the family
• Depression issues
• Family Problems
• Pressure at home
• You Changed
• House Foreclosed
• Evicted
• Not enough money coming in
• Automobile Problems
• New girlfriend or boyfriend
• You are unfaithful
• Your partner is unfaithful
5. What did you want to be when you grew up?
(Some people knew from an early age what they wanted to do)
• Musician
• Doctor
• Actor
• Writer
• Fireman
• Superman
• Superwoman
• Baseball Player
• Football Player
• Tennis Player
• Olympic Star
• Carpenter
• Stockbroker
• Banker
6. What happened when you grew up?
• The dream faded
• Didn’t have the talent
• Didn’t have the drive
• Didn’t have the support
• Injury curtailed your dream
• Changed your mind
• Reality set in
• Never knew what you wanted to do
• Need a counselor
• Went for the money not the dream
• Became the person I wanted to be (Congratulations)
• Followed my dream
• Now understand what I want to do
7. What can I do today?
• Where are your strengths?
• What are your experiences?
• What do you want to do?
• Is it a hobby?
• Can you make enough money to survive?
• Can you do it part time until you can make the same amount of money?
• Will you be happier if you start immediately?
• Do you need more schooling?
• Is there an organization that you should join?
• Do you have friends in new profession?
• Are there magazines that you should have subscriptions?
• Did you search the web for help and information?
• Are you happy where you are today?
• Can you learn more to make more?
• Do you need communication help?
• Join Toastmasters
• Take a class at a local community college?
The bottom line is, be proactive. There is a wealth of help on the web. Maybe you would be happier at the job you are in today if you keep learning. The problem with most people is they stop learning after a year on the job. Keep learning and you will become the expert that people look up to. Good Luck out there.
