Why Most People Never Achieve Their Dreams

Why Most People Never Achieve Their Dreams Last weekend, I did something I rarely do â€" watched a reality TV show. It happened to be  The Voice, and there was a contestant named Michelle who  sang backup vocals for years, never daring to step into the center spot. It reminded me of someone I know… Listening to her backstory made me think of all those times when I lacked the confidence â€" or maybe it was the faith â€" to put myself forward. All those times when I held back, thinking I wasn’t good enough. Asking myself, “who am I to do XYZ?” How about you? Have there been times when you've held yourself back? When you’ve shrunk away from playing bigger? If the answer is “yes”, then join the club. It just shows you’re human. But the trick is to not let yourself stay in that zone of “hiding your light under a bushel”. From personal experience, I can tell you that those acts of omission â€" those times when I didn’t speak up or ask or step forward â€" kept me from advancing as quickly as some of my peers. Even worse, it chipped away at my confidence and made me hate myself for letting down the side. When You Put Yourself Forward On the other hand, when you dare to put yourself forward, you give yourself a huge boost. It’s the opportunity to make a major leap forward. And to enjoy the feeling of confidence that you've taken an action and done your best. In Michelle’s case, putting herself forward had a positive outcome that night. She gave an awesome performance and as the Brits say, “she smashed it!” Whatever happens on the rest of the series, the world now knows that she can take center stage and rock it. Who could blame her for grinning in the post-performance interview when the host said, “and now you’ve got your own backup singers”. By stepping up, all kinds of doors are opening to her. Music mogul will.i.am is now her coach and sponsor. The nation has seen her perform like a rock star. She has attracted fans around the world and a community of support. Most of all, she has gained tons of confidence. When you put yourself forward, you open the door to a myriad of opportunities, and ones you never even imagined start presenting themselves. Even if things don’t go quite as planned, you’ll have learned so much and you’ll be even more prepared for the next time. When you dare to put yourself forward, you give yourself the opportunity to make a major leap forward How Long Will You Wait? So let’s come back to you. How long will you wait before you get up the courage to step up and step forward into your rightful future? And what exactly are you waiting for? Is it the right time, a better time, the optimal time rather than the time at hand? Playing the waiting game is just one of the ways you can be your own worst enemy. For most of us who wait, it’s also that we’re too humble, too modest and frankly too scared to put ourselves out there. But when you hold back from shining  your light, it's  the equivalent of scoring an “own goal”. Isn’t it time you stopped waiting and stopped hiding your light? Things to Stop Waiting For Having spent a lot of my life being fearful and thinking, “it’s not the right time”, I want to share with you some of the most common things I’ve waited for and regretted and some questions to help you move beyond the waiting game and start taking action. Waiting to be good enough If you’re an achiever, your natural instinct will be to make sure you’re 120% ready before you embark on anything. Whatever you do needs to be at least “good enough” and it might even have to be perfect. I had this kind of waiting going on too. This is where it helps to ask yourself these questions: What does “good enough” look like? Is it a moving (and therefore unattainable) target? Am I already beyond “good enough” but unwilling to admit it? What would I learn from getting a prototype or pilot program going to help me make the actual debut or launch more successful? Sometimes you just need to press “send” and get your germ of an idea, project or initiative out into the world where it can breathe, grow and take hold. So go ahead and start! Waiting for when you have more time When you’re a busy achiever, you’ll never have enough time. Or, as my father said to me when I was 15 and lamenting the full schedule that was keeping me from practicing as much as I needed to become a concert pianist, “May, you'll never have more time than you do right now”. Yep, I was a master “wait for it” type from a young age. Well, here’s a news flash. My father was right! There’s no point in waiting for that moment when you have more time. Instead, it’s more about consciously choosing your priorities. That was the moment I started practicing 4 hours a day, every day… until I discovered I wasn’t good enough to be another Arthur Rubenstein and stopped playing for 20 years. But that’s another story. To help you if you’re waiting for more time, here are a few questions to ask: Am I spending time on the things that matter? Are the things I’m doing getting me where I want to go? What do I want to stop doing, start doing, keep doing? Waiting for when you have more time? You'll never have more time than you do right now Waiting for someone (or something) else to change It’s easy to pin our waiting on others or an external situation. Like waiting for your boss to become a great manager who knows just how to motivate you, or waiting to be invited to serve on a committee, or waiting for it to stop raining to go for a run? But you can’t control what other people do or say (believe me, I’ve tried!), and you certainly can’t control the weather. So you could be waiting for a long time â€" maybe even forever. And I’m pretty sure “forever” is longer than you want things to take. Once you’ve done your level best to influence the situation, there comes a time when you need to take the actions that are in your control because you just can’t wait anymore. Since it’s not always easy to know when that time has come, here are a few questions to help you decide. What assumptions am I making about the situation? Are they true? What more can I do to change things? What is the true cost or consequence of leaving things as they are? What is the smallest step I could take to explore my other options? Waiting for permission For those of us who are particularly well trained from childhood â€" think of the person who raises their hand before speaking in a meeting, or sits on the sidelines until invited to take a seat at the conference table â€" it can be a challenge to jump into a conversation, much less take an action to pursue our dreams. So if you’re one of those people waiting for permission, ask yourself the following: Whose permission am I waiting for? Why do I need it? How many people need to say “go for it” before I feel I have permission? What am I waiting for permission to do? Is it permission to start doing something or stop doing something? Before I embarked on becoming an author, speaker and executive coach, I met with a woman who had written a book similar to the one I wanted to write â€" only she had done it 30 years prior and was now 85 years old. I wanted to learn from her wisdom and perspective. Over lunch, we chatted about my 24-year corporate career and how I now wanted to share what I had learned to help others, write a book and maybe even have my own TV show. Toward the end of our lunch, she suddenly turned to me and said, “Now I know why you’ve come to see me. You want permission to do this, to be a thought leader in this new area.” And then she looked me right in the eye and said, “May, you have permission to go for it. All of it.” Since that day, I have taken her advice and not looked back. Now I’m paying it forward to you: You now have permission to go for it too. All of it. And to help you in this journey, remember to think about the rest of your life. Focus on the future. The past doesn’t have to define you. Just move forward from here. Make a start. And drop the heavy load of fear and worry. Leave it behind. And remember, the world keeps changing. That means sometimes, the riskiest thing is to do nothing. What Will You Do? Now, it’s over to you. What’s holding you back from pursuing your dreams? And what will it take for you to stop waiting and step forward? Leave a comment and let me know.

117 Dennis Heath - Executive Coach Actor - Jane Jackson Career

117 Dennis Heath - Executive Coach Actor - Jane Jackson Career Dennis Heath is one of Singapore’s top leadership coaches and in this episode we have a lively chat about his journey into coaching and how his diverse experience, personally and professionally, has prepared him well for this successful transition.His background includes thirty years in sales and management positions with multinational telecoms manufacturers in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific.During this distinguished sales career, as well as leading successful sales teams, he managed many complex, multi-national accounts with responsibility for negotiating global, multi-million dollar contracts across thirty-five countries. He lived in Saudi Arabia in the late 70s and early 80s and has been in Singapore since 2000. Born in England he is now holds Singapore citizenship.He transitioned from being a corporate employee to Coach in 2004 and is trained in three coaching methodologies. He is certified in the administration and application of several leadership and person ality instruments, as well as being an NLP Master Practitioner and Certified Hypnotherapist. His clients often refer to his calm aura combined with laser-like questions that help them come up with new ideas and approaches to business issues.Never afraid to use humour in his coaching conversation, (our interview provides quite a few laughs too), his easy and relaxed style belies a tough determination to push clients out of their comfort zones towards more effective leadership behaviours. He demands focus and action to ensure clients achieve their personal and corporate goals.Dennis is a member of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches, the Asia Pacific Alliance of Coaches, the Singapore Institute of Directors, Singapore Institute of Management and holds a Professional Diploma in Training and Development. He is registered with the British Psychological Society as a qualified practitioner in Occupational Testing.His articles on coaching and leadership development have been publi shed in the Straits Times, Business Times, SIM’s “Today’s Manager” magazine, Human Resource and HRM magazines. He has also appeared on CNBC TV’s “Business Centre” programme and 93.8FM Live radio as an expert guest.He is a senior leadership Coach to the Singapore civil service where he coaches senior managers in the various Ministries and Statutory Boards. His private sector clients include global financial institutions, technology and oil companies.Very much a contender for being case in a James Bond film, in Dennis’ rare spare time he performs voice overs for TV and online videos and also TV and film acting. He has appeared in a German TV movie and a Japanese feature film as well as numerous local TV productions. He recently appeared in a trailer for the Netflix series The Crown. Enjoy listening in on my conversation with a very distinguished and amusing gentleman, leadership coach and actor!Where to find Dennis:www.wayahead.com.sg

Guest Post 4 Basic Rules of Office Etiquette

Guest Post 4 Basic Rules of Office Etiquette Im so excited for all of you to read Punched Clocks second guest post! Sacha and I worked together on this one, and I had a lot of fun in the process!  Enjoy! Four Basic Rules of Office Etiquette It’s time for a morning team meeting. Out of habit you grab your phone and, again, out of habit, you check it when the familiar buzz vibrates in your lap or back pocket. At one point or another we’ve all been guilty of this. Maybe we stared at our screens until it was brought up, or maybe you jumped and quickly tried to hide the device, but either way it generally makes you look like you’re not paying attention, and unintentionally makes you look rude; not good checks to have on your reputation. If you want to look like the upstanding young professional you are, follow these basic rules of  office etiquette: Put your phone away. Just do it. Having your phone on you is a bit of a given these days, and checking it sporadically is fine. But in meetings or when you’re talking business, it’s best to leave it behind. At the very least keep it on silent so you’re not tempted by the buzzing or in danger of a loud ringtone blaring throughout the office. A lot like high school, you don’t want to get caught texting, or laughing at some silly joke in a group chat. While your manager may not take your phone away, or even write you up, if it becomes a habit it can result in negative consequences. And no one wants to feel that shame again. Take into account your surroundings. While the days of lonely cubicles aren’t entirely over, a lot of upcoming businesses with desk jobs don’t put up barriers, and you can easily talk and communicate with the people around you. This isn’t a bad thing! It encourages office culture and collaboration, plus it’ll make it easier to make friends in the workplace. But you need to remember to be polite. Think of it in the sense of someone entering your room without knocking, and then continuing to be in your space even when you’ve tried to explain you’re busy. No one likes having their time invaded, especially when a matter is pressing, so try to be courteous. At least ask first or give a knock on the door. Being polite and giving your office mates their space will keep you from getting on anyone’s bad side and make others more likely to help you when you do reach out. Basically, it’s all about convenience and timing. Oh, and we can’t forget general distractions. That means talking at a reasonable volume, taking your personal calls outside or to a different area of the building and generally not making any annoying sounds (we’re looking at you, food gnoshers and nose snifflers.) You know, the basics of keeping your personal life personal and not being an annoying co-worker. Professionalism isn’t just for corporate offices. Professionalism extends to all different parts of any business. Even if your office is casual, or you work in a place where it’s geared towards teamwork and collaboration, keeping it business in the workplace is essential to actually getting your job done. Now, being professional doesn’t mean having to be stiff, or letting go of your individuality, but it does mean showing respect for your work and your coworkers. For example, wanting to get your point and idea across is fine, but being condescending is not and it can come off as being petty. Professionalism can also tie back into being polite, and using common sense for what is okay and what is not. And, on a light hearted note, try to keep away from the gossip. I know we all want to talk about what crazy shenanigans we got into, that Facebook wreckage you witnessed, or what we saw Rachel from HR doing at the bar, but save it for out of office talk. The bathroom and all its horrors. This one, I cannot stress enough. It seems like the lesser of the evils, but the bathroom is the one place we all go. So keep it clean. Keep the trash off the floor. Replace the toilet paper roll. Try not to get water everywhere. And for crying out loud, do a courtesy flush if one is needed. We’re old enough to pick up after ourselves and have grown past the point of playing in the water. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I’ve had jobs where I go to wash my hands it’s like someone tried to create a slip and slide. That’s not the type of place I want to do business, and I definitely wouldn’t want to invite my clients to use the bathroom if that’s the condition it’s in. Lastly, and most importantly, remember to wash your hands. It’s hard enough not getting sick in confined spaces, so let’s do our part to even the playing field. If you’re in a  job where you share keyboards and computers, or touch someone elses things, keeping your hands and equipment clean is the bare minimum to stopping the spread of germs. While you may think this is common sense, it surprises me how many people pass up the small details that are common etiquette. There are more out there, but these are the basics that can be easily forgotten when you become comfortable or have never been in a similar environment before. Take them for what they are, use them, and feel free to share your own input in the comments we want to hear all your crazy office etiquette stories and tips, so dont hold back! About the writer:  Sacha is an aspiring writer, currently feeling the struggle as she shamelessly promotes herself across the internet. She is in love with birds, big dogs that think theyre lap dogs, and all things science. You can see what shes up to now on her Twitter page.

The Writing a Resume for a Tech Startup Cover Up

The Writing a Resume for a Tech Startup Cover Up You could also take a look at importance of business program. To begin with, you'll need to hone your abilities. Working on a startup or small business indicates plenty of effective abilities and traits irrespective of your outcome. There are many ways available on how best to promote your enterprise. Writing a Resume for a Tech Startup Secrets That No One Else Knows About You can also see network advertising business plan examples. Do not neglect to include things like the marketing and promotions which you have to do for the company. You might also see sample simple small business plans. You might also see convenience store business program. You would like to emphasize that you would like to stay and grow with the company for the very long term. You could also like how to earn a business program. You might also like to learn to create a business program. Each region of the business plan intends to convince the investor s to have a risk on the company. Lies You've Been Told About Writing a Resume for a Tech Startup In spite of the fact that tech businesses can make as much as millions, there is no assurance your tech startup can reach the exact heights. Startups do, indeed, request a lotafter all, their very existence is dependent on making the proper hires. Startup Experience At the same time, they are suspicious that people who've spent too much time in big companies have become soft, unwilling to put in the long hours required of a brand-new launch. Technology startups have risen in prominence, and a lot of the merchandise and internet services that you use today are inclined to be the work of tech startups. New Ideas Into Writing a Resume for a Tech Startup Never Before Revealed Although some resume writers are generalists and work with anyone, it is much simpler and more lucrative to pick a particular niche. Writing would supply you with clarity in your mind, about how you wish to pos ition yourself and your subsequent verbal pitch. Resume writing is an art and it must be utilized in resume to create a fantastic impression on the possible employer. Among the fantastic things about resumes is they're pretty universal. A recruiter would like to understand what you know and what you've done. You must be convinced that you understand how to compose powerful and result-generating resumes.

The Battle Over Tech Projects Resume Writing Services/cv Writing Services and How to Win It

The Battle Over Tech Projects Resume Writing Services/cv Writing Services and How to Win It Here's What I Know About Tech Projects Resume Writing Services/cv Writing Services Your resume must stick out and immediately grab the interest of the work search expert, otherwise it might end up in the discard pile in case you don't get it right. Moreover, the examples provided by professionals will offer you a strong idea of what things to expect, in the event you opt to turn to a resume writing service for expert help. Utilizing expert resume writers can definitely boost your odds of making a fantastic impression when applying for employment. Fortunately, there are numerous professional writers around who can lend a hand. Resume writing for healthcare professionals is an incredibly challenging procedure but we're a company with numerous years of knowledge and know precisely what you have to stick out from the rest! Moreover, you can get open communication with your writer throughou t the whole process. Relying solely on endorsements or recommendations means you'll miss the large opportunity your network presents. Within seconds, hiring managers will ascertain if your executive resume is well worth another glance. Our resume builder gives you tips and examples about how to compose your resume summary. Professional and well-structured CVs are vital for your job application. Resumes usually have a tendency to be longer than the necessary standard. It's simple to spot a candidate with a Stanford degree. After receiving the draft of your CV, you have tons of time to request a revision from a writer if you're unhappy with the received outcome. Generally, well-written resumes concentrate on teamwork and candidates' actions. The New Fuss About Tech Projects Resume Writing Services/cv Writing Services You simply picked the incorrect tech resume format. If your resume go over that recommended length, there isn't any way it's possible to fool anyone by emplo ying a 10-point font. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cannot read certain products. A CV should not be shortened or summarized. A CV is also called Curriculum Vitae that is a document used to represent yourself when you're attending an interview. CV Solutions offers professional CV writing to assist you become noticed. Writing a CV may be long and time-consuming procedure, but by means of the perfect expert support, you can create one quite quickly. To find out more on what it requires to be a Technical Writer, take a look at our complete Technical Writer Job Description. Indicate relevant abilities, including computer, language and professional skills which may be important for a specific job. If you trying to find a really high-quality company, then Writers Crew was your very best alternative.

How You Can Avoid Millennial Burnout - TheJobNetwork

How You Can Avoid Millennial Burnout - TheJobNetworkMillennials, contrary to some bad press, are actually kicking butt and taking names. Theyre running marathons, shooting to the top of start-ups, and buying homes before the age of 30. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) But theyre also burning out at alarming rates. Working intensely long hours throughout ones 20s can have a cumulative effect exhaustion. This is partly due to unrealistic expectations, comparing yourself unfairly to other peers who are doing better, or not being able to disconnect or achieve the elusive work/life balance. Or it could be just not having a job you love.Here are some strategies for how to avoid or alleviate millennial burnout and keep yourself on the path to great success.Take TimeMillennials might not be as lazy or as entitled as the internet claims they are, but they are more accustomed to instant gratification. Do yourself a favor and dont expect to catapult to the top right away. Promotions dont come easyor necessarily at rapid speed. Dont let the fact that you arent moving up immediately make you feel under-appreciated or unsatisfied. Take a look around at people you admire and find out how long it took them to get where they are. Then give yourself the appropriate time to reach your loftiest goals.DisconnectMillennials tend to be utterly glued to their devices. And some jobs expect you to be on at all times. Find a way to set limits on your time, turn off notifications, or set yourself a few phoneless hours per day.Say NoPerhaps the quickest way to burn out is to say yes to every request thats made of you. You dont have to agree to absolutely every favor asked in order to make it to where you want to be. Set yourself some boundaries. Say yes only when you have the time to do something welland without resentment.MonotaskIn a culture that prizes multitasking skills, learn how to monotask. Youll be surprised at how much your productivi ty increases when you slow down and focus on one thing at a time.DelegateAs much as you want to be in control to make sure things are done right, you cant possibly handle every detail of every project. Learn what others can do and learn to delegate those tasks to them. That way you can concentrate on the really challenging tasks you know you need to oversee. You could even find a buddy to split meeting attendance withyou go to one, they go to the other, and you compare notes, saving yourselves the extra time.Get MentoredA little humility goes a long way. Finding a mentor or trusted superior with whom you can confide before you hit the full-on burn-out stage is crucial. Be honest about where youre at and open to figuring out what changes you could make to fix it.Add JoySo you have to take a business trip, or run an errand. Try to find a way to make it more enjoyable around the edges. Ask for a day or two on either end of the trip to recuperate or sight see, say. And use your vacation days. When you get back to the desk, focus on what you really love about your joband concentrate on those tasks for a week or so.Mentor BackGiving back is a great way to remind ourselves how great we have it. Try to help out or have coffee with someone trying to break into your field. Youll be surprised at the thermisch fuzzies it could give you to give advice.RechargeFind means of recharging dailyset aside at least 5 to 10minutes to do something that truly calms and satisfies you. Its also extremely helpful to have a creative outlet outside the workplace that has nothing to do with your job.Be RealisticDont set yourself up for failure. Keep those high expectations in check by limiting your to-do list to the realm of reasonable possibility. Figure out the ways in which your expectations are getting the better of you, and trim back a bit. If you give yourself the room to succeed, you will.

How To Motivate Employees

How To Motivate Employees Whetzu sich youre new to being a manager or (you think) youre a seasoned pro at being a boss, people and team managers often constantly wrestle with the question of how to motivate employees.Particularly if you manage more than one person or if your team is full of different personality types, figuring out how to motivate employees can binnenseem like an impossible task with no real solution.Im zu siche to tell you that thats not the case.So what are some of the best ways to motivate people and thereby enhance their job satisfaction, employee wertmiger zuwachs and productivity?1. Understand them.Each of your employees and team members is different, and those differences and quirks hold the secret to motivating them. Most managers Ive coached have expressed struggling with different personalities and different types of employees, and have found it particularly difficult to figure out motivation techniques that work for everyone. Some peoples motivation comes from setting goals, or identifying incentives, or working toward rewards. Sometimes employee motivation depends upon getting recognition for productivity or achieving a healthy work-life balance scenario.And interestinglythough not surprisinglywhen a manager believes she has something in common with a direct report she feels shes more effective in managing her. Its when we cannot relate toor dont understand our employeesthat were not as effective at managing them and keeping them motivated.This makes sense Its easier to understand someone who we can relate to or see ourselves in. But it certainly doesnt mean that its impossible to relate to, and understand, someone who works differently from us. It just means we have to put in a little effort.If youre thinking,Ugh, seeI knew it This is going to be a lot of work.Stop. Yes, it will be work (thats why its called work) but another misconception with understanding and motivating employees is that it takes years and endless hours. Again, not true. Time certainly helps, and will only add to your understanding of a person, but there is one quick (and easy) thing you can to do understand your team members2. Ask them.Specifically, ask about work preferences and personal drivers. Ask an associate how she prefers to work, what her ideal work-life balance is, whether she prefers to be acknowledged and get recognition in public or privately, if she likes speaking in front of people, what her professionaland personalaspirations and goals are, and what simply drives her can be tackled over an informal lunch, coffee, or even a 30 minute meeting. You may not get full answers immediately, but sometimes you will (and how someone responds to direct questions is a valuable thing to learn in itself)The simple act of asking employees unterstellung questions will not only offer at least an initial glimpse of the all-important understanding of this person, but youll also be creating the environment in which this person will feel motiv ated because she knows she canand shouldopenly share about herself, her style, and preferences.The results? Shell be more comfortable with you, youll begin to understand how she ticks and what drives her to get the best work, and youll learn how to work within these preferences to then motivate herYes these canand will bethe results. But theres one final piece of unearthing someones preferences and drivers to motivate them.3. Listen.To motivate people, you need to listen to them. Employee performance and employee engagement rests largely on a managers ability to make her team members feel like their voices matter (this can also do wonders for job satisfaction) Maybe one of your direct reports has dreams of being an executive in 5 years maybe another is completely content and would resent a leadership role. The ways in which you use these motivators and approach those two employees should be fundamentally different in order to be effective. But you wont know this until you understand your team and how they envision their future at your company.To recap the key to employee motivation and employee engagement lies in understanding, asking, and listening. Then you need to process and respect the individual through your management style. This seemingly small formula can fundamentally change the way you interact withand successfully motivateyour team.___Jane Scudder is a certified coach, facilitator, and workplace leadership consultant based in Chicago, IL. She helps individuals and group navigate their careers, teams, and personal lives. Find out more atjanescudder.com.