Job Search Alternatives

Job Search Alternatives Let me try and related a story Ive made up, just to prove a point.  I hope this comes across well (I like telling stories but I usually need months go perfect them). Image you go to a restaurant every night for dinner.  Every single night you have a nice dinner sometimes there is something new on the menu that delights you, but you can always count on something that is just fine. Then, one night you go only to find out they are out of food. The doors are still open, the lights are on, and the servers are still there.  You can even hear cooks in the kitchen making noise. But there is just no food. What are your options? You can keep coming back, night after night.  But there is just no. food. When do you stop coming back?  Where can you go for dinner? What if you went to the restaurant across the street? What if you went to the restaurant across town? Could you go to a restaurant in another city? Could you possibly make your own dinner at home? These seem like reasonable alternatives.  They might be out of your comfort zone, but they might help you get food in your belly. How does this relate to your job search? Many job seekers are finding there is no food in their restaurant.  The doors are open, the lights are on, the cooks are in the back making noise, but there is no food. What are the options? Going across the street is like looking for competitive companies in the same industry that might be a great alternative (depending on whats going on with the industry). I think too many are stuck doing this in an industry that just isnt hiring, though, and you spin your wheels. Going across town or to another city presents some major inconvenience but there comes a time when the hunger trumps convenience and it makes sense to look somewhere else (while staying in your profession/industry).  Or, maybe you have to switch professions or industries AND go somewhere else.  I know someone who recently took a great opportunity in Detroit, moving his family many states away.  Good move, or dangerous? Making dinner at home might be like starting your own business, or consulting or freelancing.  It is scary, and nothing is certain, and youll have to learn a lot of new skills. But isnt there a difference in the quality of food that a restaurant prepares compared to your favorite signature dish that youve perfected?  Making your own can be so very rewarding working on your own can be, too. Im not suggesting that these are the only alternatives to a job search, but if you get miserable enough, and can be honest with yourself while you read the writing on the wall, perhaps its time to look at alternatives. What are other alternatives Ive missed? or, hows this story/analogy? Job Search Alternatives Let me try and related a story Ive made up, just to prove a point.  I hope this comes across well (I like telling stories but I usually need months go perfect them). Image you go to a restaurant every night for dinner.  Every single night you have a nice dinner sometimes there is something new on the menu that delights you, but you can always count on something that is just fine. Then, one night you go only to find out they are out of food. The doors are still open, the lights are on, and the servers are still there.  You can even hear cooks in the kitchen making noise. But there is just no food. What are your options? You can keep coming back, night after night.  But there is just no. food. When do you stop coming back?  Where can you go for dinner? What if you went to the restaurant across the street? What if you went to the restaurant across town? Could you go to a restaurant in another city? Could you possibly make your own dinner at home? These seem like reasonable alternatives.  They might be out of your comfort zone, but they might help you get food in your belly. How does this relate to your job search? Many job seekers are finding there is no food in their restaurant.  The doors are open, the lights are on, the cooks are in the back making noise, but there is no food. What are the options? Going across the street is like looking for competitive companies in the same industry that might be a great alternative (depending on whats going on with the industry). I think too many are stuck doing this in an industry that just isnt hiring, though, and you spin your wheels. Going across town or to another city presents some major inconvenience but there comes a time when the hunger trumps convenience and it makes sense to look somewhere else (while staying in your profession/industry).  Or, maybe you have to switch professions or industries AND go somewhere else.  I know someone who recently took a great opportunity in Detroit, moving his family many states away.  Good move, or dangerous? Making dinner at home might be like starting your own business, or consulting or freelancing.  It is scary, and nothing is certain, and youll have to learn a lot of new skills. But isnt there a difference in the quality of food that a restaurant prepares compared to your favorite signature dish that youve perfected?  Making your own can be so very rewarding working on your own can be, too. Im not suggesting that these are the only alternatives to a job search, but if you get miserable enough, and can be honest with yourself while you read the writing on the wall, perhaps its time to look at alternatives. What are other alternatives Ive missed? or, hows this story/analogy?

Personal Branding Interview Don Hutson and George Lucas - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Don Hutson and George Lucas - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Don Hutson and Dr. George H. Lucas, who are the co-authors of the New York Times bestseller, The One Minute Negotiator. In this interview, Don and George tell you why people are afraid to negotiate, what the qualities of a good negotiator are, the benefits and drawbacks of negotiation, and more. Why are most people afraid to negotiate? There are several reasons for this. First, they have no tolerance for learning the negotiations process; they would rather live with the status quo than confront others. Second, they have not invested in developing their skills in this critical life area. Even when we run learning experiences for professional buyers and salespeople only about 25% of them have attended a seminar or even read a book on negotiations. Finally, they fail to recognize how often we do or should negotiate each and every day. We use the scanner at the supermarket, often in the self-checkout lane, and we usually shut up and pay whatever people are asking in normal purchase situations. Our book, The One Minute Negotiator will help people treat this fear we call “negotiaphobia.” What makes for a good negotiator? Well, the person must be able to deal with ambiguity which requires a good bit of self confidence. Next, the person must be willing to invest in preparation for an anticipated encounter. Third, they need a repeatable process that makes them both more confident and effective. We provide a field-tested process with our EASY formula; Engage, Assess, Strategize, and do all three as part of Your one minute drill to get your head in the game for any negotiation. The person should also continually increase the number of tools and tactics in their negotiation skills tool box. This will help make them more successful as they avoid, accommodate, compete or collaborate. Very few people have only one screw driver in their home repair tool box and a proficient negotiator must have confidence in a wide array of tactics. What are the benefits to learning how to negotiate? What are the drawbacks for those who dont have this skill? We say that America’s “Negotiaphobes” have left enough money on the table to pay of the national debt! It all comes down to a higher degree of personal competence and the satisfaction we gain from positive results. Our experience in negotiation skills began in the mid-1990s as we collaborated with Dr. Patrick Schul on the development of the first graduate level negotiation skills course. As college recruiters found out about this course each semester we had to add more sections. Companies realize that skilled negotiators are a resource to help them grow market share, manage costs, grow their top line, and collectively enhance their profitability. On the personal side, negotiation skills assist people in reducing the stress and conflict in their lives, reduce their cost of living, and have the great feeling they experience as they improve their side of deal, after deal after deal. The lack of this skill results in the opposite; less success and more stress in life. It also creates a sense of helplessness as people are forced to dance to the music being played by those they encounter who possess greater proficiencies. A lack of collaborative skills, as noted in the book, results in people missing significant life opportunities and failing to get maximum benefit from those they do engage in. Can you give an example of how someone negotiated a better deal? We worked with two organizations that had historically been highly competitive and price focused in their dealings. The buying side players had attended our workshop on negotiation skills and were dismayed that most of their vendors lacked collaborative capabilities. During a subsequent two-day workshop where both sides were present, and a collaborative trading alliance was finalized, they discovered a way where tools rusting away in a Connecticut warehouse could be loaned out to customers who bought the supplies to go into the tool. Two companies that had been repeatedly battling over price like dogs fighting over the same bone suddenly had an entire butcher shop at their disposal; a $6 million dollar deal. The key was both sides having collaborative skills that got true needs, capabilities, and working together to craft creative solutions. When, if at all, should you stay away from negotiating? Actually, avoidance is a viable negotiation strategy, but only under a certain set of conditions. If you already have a favorable solution via negotiations with another party, why should you waste your time and other resources with an option that is not even close. Also, if you are in a deal you like, and the other side wants to change it to make it more favorable for them, it may be a good strategy to avoid negotiation discussions for as long as possible and try to make the status quo endure. During times of rising prices, some buyers will skillfully avoid annual price increase discussions for six months and then suggest postponement until next year. Conversely, during falling prices, salespeople will attempt to avoid discussions for as long as possible. The issue is what are the consequences from avoiding? If the other side does not set and enforce deadlines, and any negotiation will lead to less favorable outcomes, and there is not relationship capital to draw on, benefit from and protect, why would you want to engage? The best play is to skillfully draw things out, return phone messages after hours, come down with every malady known to mankind, and hang on to what you have. - Don Hutson is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, The One Minute Negotiator. He is the chairman and CEO of U.S. Learning chairman of the board of Executive Books, and an accomplished corporate speaker and trainer. He is the author of twelve books, including The One Minute Entrepreneur (with Ken Blanchard) and The Sale. Don is the Past President of the National Speakers Association, a member of the Speakers Roundtable, and won the St. Jude Hospital Humanitarian Award. Dr. George H. Lucas is the the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, The One Minute Negotiator. He is a senior consultant and member of the board of directors for U.S. Learning. He has conducted negotiation seminars on six continents and is the author or coauthor of several books, including The Contented Achiever and Marketing strategy.

What is your LOT in Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

What is your LOT in Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last week I attended the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Houston. One point was brought home during one of our evening events by a friend I had only known in Social Media circles. We had never met in person. Yet we run in the same circles. We work with a lot of the same people. We belong to some of the same organizations. However, the fact is…we had never met in person. As I was walking into the event on the first day I heard someone yell my name. Of course, I looked up. I pulled my face away from the ubiquitous smartphone in my hand. Calling my name was a friend I had only known on Facebook and LinkedIn. This was a fortuitous meeting and one that I was very glad happened. Which is another thing to consider when evaluating your LOT in Life  â€¦ Eyes Up! I should add this as another point in the 8 Tips for Trade Show Success  â€¦  Eyes Up Open. Which means … Pull your eyes away from the electronics in your hand and seek out the humans within your view and purview. You never know who you might run into … or who might recognize you from your Facebook or LinkedIn profile pic. He paid me a very kind compliment A few nights later we were at another event. One that I had a hand in arranging … it was a Post WPC BBQ where 20 or so folks got together to enjoy each others company while winding down from the conference. As we were chatting he told some of the folks around the table…some I knew before the conference and some I had just met that night…that even though we had just met for the first time in person that he has a LOT in me. And he went on to explain that LOT means Level of Trust. He said that because of the people we know in common, and the efforts he’d seen from me in the groups we are both involved with, and because of the things he’s seen in Social Media circles that he knows he can trust me. That I had built a Level of Trust with him. I was flattered and floored by such a compliment. Trust is very important to me.  I want to be known as someone who is trustworthy in both  my personal and professional endeavors. I assume this is true for everyone. However, as we all know there are some untrustworthy people out there. I hope that by reading this blog post this far you are not in that camp and that you too want people to know you by your deeds and that they can trust you to do what you say. Is your word your bond? People want to count on you to get stuff done. Can they? If you say you are going to do something…Do you? Even if it means you work late into the night or spend more time and effort than you initially expected? If yes, your LOT will continue to rise. If all you you do is find excuses for why it didn’t get done  your LOT will drop … perhaps precipitously and in some cases permanently. (see Bring Solutions … Not Excuses). Commitments Reflect Upon You. Make sure you fully understand what is being requested before saying yes. For people like me this is hard. I’m a pleaser. I like to help people. I like to say yes. However, if you have worked with me for any amount of time you know that I will get whatever I said I would do done…even if it means working longer than expected. Also, if you know me you know that I may ask some difficult qualifying questions. Don’t be offended. Be happy I didn’t just say no outright. Because I do believe that you can Say Yes and Get Ahead. So, Is Your LOT up to snuff? If not…get on it. Be realistic is what you commit to. Ask tough clarifying questions to insure you understand what is being expected. Then execute and deliver on time…or early. Your perceived LOT depends on it! Note: This will be a series of three posts. The next one will be about LOI…your Level of Intent. And the last one will be about LOA…your Level of Accountability. Also, in case you are wondering who I am speaking about … it’s Dr. Petri Salonen. Thanks Petri for the compliment and thank you for imbuing me with your personal Level of Trust. I will cherish it like a Seal of Approval. Author: Jeff   is a veteran in the Enterprise Content Management industry. Over the past 20 years he has worked with customers and partners to design, develop and deploy solutions around the world. Jeff is currently the Director of Strategic Alliances at Winshuttle. He has worked for Microsoft, FileNet (IBM), K2, Captaris, Open Text, Kofax and Kodak. He speaks and blogs about ECM and the Intersection between Social, Mobile and Cloud Computing.

Buying your Daughters First School Uniform, on a Budget

Buying your Daughter’s First School Uniform, on a Budget Shopping for your daughter’s first school uniform is probably the only time you’ll get excited about buying her school supplies, because once the first year is over and done with, you’ll probably be more concerned about how much you’re spending rather than how cute and adorable she looks. Many parents are on a budget from the very beginning and, even if you’re not, being sensible about your purchases is still good practice. Don’t think that once you’ve done the back to school shop, that’s it for another year, either! Their uniform and school supplies will need to be topped up throughout the year, so sticking to a budget from the start means you won’t have to spend over the odds on their school gear annually. Make sure that you understand the school’s dress code before you begin shopping for school skirts, blouses, polo shirts and dresses. Every school has a different policy and different colour schemes to abide by and, while there are some great value alternatives to what the specialist suppliers provide, some schools are a lot more stringent on what can and can’t be worn. Check whether skirts and dresses need to be grey, black or navy for example and, once you know, you can take a look at  school skirts to help keep you within a tight budget. Only buy the minimum if you can help it. This will be a personal choice because different families operate in different ways, but the bottom line is that the less you buy, the less you spend! If you do the laundry often, for example, your daughter won’t need to have a skirt or dress for every single day. School skirts don’t have to be washed as often as sweaty shirts, so you’ll only need a couple to last the week. It all depends on the child though â€" if your little girl loves to be active during playtime, you may need more than the minimum â€" it depends how grubby she gets and how often you want to be doing the washing! You could always opt to buy second hand if you prefer. Make sure you do check that the clothes are in good condition though! Alternatively, if your child has older siblings, you may have some school uniform hidden away from when they were her age that you can get a second lease of life from. There’s a fine balance between sticking to a low budget and buying uniform that they will feel comfortable wearing. Polyester and acrylic, for example, can be cheaper than cotton, but the fabrics aren’t as breathable, so bear this in mind. Similarly, shoes that have manmade uppers are far more affordable than leather shoes, but you’ll find that leather shoes last longer and are more comfortable for daily use. It’s also advisable to buy your daughter’s uniform in a size up, because she’ll continue to grow dramatically until she’s a teenager. Make sure that there’s room to grow so that you’re not buying uniforms every couple of months and bear in mind that things can be altered at the hemline to make them last for longer. Iron on hemming tape is an easy and affordable shortcut for busy parents! Your daughter’s first day at school will be a special memory forever, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start as you mean to go on and stick to a small budget â€" it’s easy when you know how!

A Look Into Career in Social Work - CareerMetis.com

A Look Into Career in Social Work Taking a career decision is not an easy task when you have to choose between many options available to you; especially when you are in the early phase of your career when high paying jobs seems lucrative.If you are a person who would like to earn by helping others or making some impact in lives of others; social work is a career for you. Having stated this, what is social work?evalSocial work is a specialized and a skill based profession in which professionals work in a variety of fields. They basically work with people to solve their personal or social problems at the micro level and inclusive development at the macro level .Some important facts you need to know before choosing social work as a career are enlisted below.Areas of practiceevalUnlike other professions, viz. law, medicine, etc. social workers work in a variety of fields and settings, since it deals with human problems. Few of the areas are as follows:GerontologyOld age brings with it a number of issues which needs to be addressed. Social workers look into the health, family and social security of the elderly . This area of practice is emerging especially in the individualistic societies where elderly are often provided institutional care.Clinical and mental healthAnother area for social work practice is hospitals where they work as paraprofessionals. Professionals who specialize in psychiatric social work are employed in the area of psychiatry. Besides the physical ailment , some disease bring with them, the patients also need social and emotional support . Social workers play a vital role in this area.Women and childrenAnother very broad and important area where social workers contribute is working with vulnerable women and children. There are different types of problems faced by this group at the individual and community level . Interventions are made at the various aspects of their issues at various levels This branch of social work addresses the social aspects of any disease or disorder , viz. ,HIV/AIDS, Cancer, acute mental disorders. These type of illnesses are associated with some degree of stigma and discrimination in the society.Social workers mainly work for the prevention and awareness generation at the at the community level and rehabilitation of these individuals after their treatment. Social workers are also involved in advocacy activities to fight for the rights of such vulnerable group.Drug addictionAddiction, be it drugs or alcohol; leads to many social and family problems. Youths especially adolescents are the more vulnerable group. Social workers work in de-addiction centres and also aid in rehabilitation after the treatment. Disaster RehabilitationDisasters often occur in our environment in various form, e.g, earthquakes, cyclone, landslides etc. Social workers actively work for the disaster victims, be it natural or accidents.evalRehabilitation is one of the most important aspect when working with victims of disaster. Social workers work with a team of pr ofessionals of different field for the relief of the victims. School social workSchools hire social workers to look into the psycho-social needs of the children. Cases of bullying, truancy, academic lag etc. are common in schools which has to be dealt with a professional expertise. RefugeeWith many communities in several countries facing the wrath of civil wars, people flee their country and take refuge in other countries. Refugees have their own set of problems in the host country which the social workers strive to address.The issue of refugees is administered by the UNHCR Educational Institutes offer social work program in regular as well as in distance and online learning; field training being the core part of the curriculum. Further research study can also be taken up at the PhD level.Skills required for practiceSocial workers requirecertain skills, specifically peoples skills, to carry out their profession. Few are mentioned as follows: Active listening skillsThis skill is mos t important especially when working with individuals. When a person with a problem comes to a social worker, he or she is under some degree of stress. Some may immediately start talking about their problem while some may be hesitant to share their issue.When the social worker actively and patiently listens to the person EmpathyAnother veryfundamental skill for social worker is to have empathy. It plays a vital role in the problem solving process of a client. An empathetic attitude helps the worker to gain insight into the issue and intervene accordingly. It also prevents the worker from getting emotionally involved during the problem solving process.NetworkingNetworking skills is the key to provide effective intervention. Social workers need to be aware of the community resources in order to connect their client to them when required. Often social work agencies collaborate to address some issues holistically.Interviewing The social worker need to know every aspect of the problem and for this he or she has to ask some questions to the client. It needs a certain degree of skill as to how to put the question to the client to get the desired information.Advocacy skillsThis skill helps the social worker to speak for a specific social cause and influence policy making leading to a systematic social change .This fast changing world often witnesses emerging of new types of problems which needs to be addressed in a planned way. Social work is a decently paid job and surely it is a fulfilling career since it is a helping profession.

How to Create Your Foundation for Next Years Success

How to Create Your Foundation for Next Year’s Success It’s December and if you’re like most of us, you’re “crazy busy” with yearend activities like finishing projects, holiday gift shopping and tying up loose ends before you take a break from your daily obligations. Whether you’re counting down the days to rest or buzzing from the activity, what you do in this period matters. And it’s not just about getting through the frenzy of yearend activities. Create the Foundation for Next Year’s Success The end of the year is an “in between” time. A sort of “bridge” that connects your past and your future. There’s an important step you’ll want to take here, but it’s one that most people overlook. It’s a step that helps you finish the year strong (especially mentally) and establish a foundation for your success in the year to come. Appreciate the Year You’ve Just Had Building your foundation for next year begins by appreciating the year that’s ending, even (and maybe especially!) if it’s felt like a challenging one. One of the keys to doing this well is to make sure you’re looking at the entire year. It’s all too easy to forget how far you’ve come since January 1st. Psychologists call it the recency effect, which means the human brain tends to put more weight on things that have happened recently while events and accomplishments from 11 months ago are harder to recall. The problem with the recency effect is you’re likely to short-change yourself when it comes to recognizing and appreciating what you’ve achieved. My daughter and I experienced this on our long Machu Picchu hike in Peru. Trekking up the steep Inca stone steps hour after hour was hard work, especially given the altitude. And when we looked up, our destination still seemed far away. It was only when we looked back and our guide pointed out the tiny speck that represented our starting point behind us that we realized just how far we had traveled. That motivated us to keep going. Appreciating the year you’ve just had creates a foundation for your success in the year to come. Honor Your Progress Looking back on this year, in January, I set the intention to focus rather than be distracted by new ideas and projects that would hold me (and my team) back from the things that really mattered. Even though it felt like a struggle to stay focused on any given day (and despite my wobbles), those efforts are paying off. We’ve been able to take on a big new project that in any other year would have been put off until “later” and we’re on track to have our best year ever in the business. I’ve become certified in a neuroscience-based coaching method (Conversational Intelligence ®) and helped my clients get promoted and advance as leaders. At the same time, I’ve taken my first real vacation in years and gotten closer to my family. Now, my life’s not perfect (who’s is?) and there are loads of things I still need to work on, but that’s not the point. It’s all about honoring our progress rather than how far we are from perfection. Honor your progress, not how far you are from perfection. Give Yourself Full Credit As you look at what the whole year has been like for you, make sure you give yourself full credit. When you see someone every day, you’re unlikely to notice their changes because they’re gradual. And when it comes to yourself, you might be so busy “doing life” that you don’t even notice how you’re showing up every day. So make it a point to think back and remember your wins â€" big and small. Write them down. Remind yourself of what you’ve learned and accomplished. Pull out your calendar or journal to jog your memory. And remember to look at things in the most energizing way you can. As one of the most mentally strong people I know says (by the way, she’s a world class athlete), “I always win. Either I’m on the (prize winner’s) podium or I’ve learned something.” Give yourself the gift of this yearend boost so you can set yourself up for even better results in the year to come. So, where did you start the year and how have you learned, grown and improved? Leave a comment â€" I’d love to know. For more ways to set yourself up for success next year, join us for our free online summit Career Masteryâ„¢ Kickstart 2020.

Happiness is a Choice

Happiness is a Choice Have you ever worked with someone who just seemed to have everything go her way? Her projects are successful; she gets one promotion after the other, and she’s just plain happy. So, why is she so successful? Turns out being happy not only feels good but can also be an important part to achieving job success. In an article from Psychology Today Sonja Lyubomirsky, a social psychologist at the University of California, Riverside writes the following: “The most persuasive data regarding the effects of happiness on positive work outcomes come from longitudinal studies â€" that is, investigations that track the same participants over a long period of time. These studies are great. For example, people who report that they are happy at age 18 achieve greater financial independence, higher occupational attainment and greater work autonomy by age 26. Furthermore, the happier a person is, the more likely she will get a job offer, keep her job, and get a new job if she ever loses it. Finally, one fascinating study showed that people who express more positive emotions on the job receive more favorable evaluations from their supervisors 3.5 years later.” Wow, that’s great news if you’re a naturally happy person, but what if you find being happy a challenge? In Kathryn Britton’s article, Six Tips for Taking Positive Psychology to Work she sites a study by R. Emmons and M.E. McCullough that found that people who focused on increasing their feelings of gratitude are healthier and feel better about their lives. So how do we increase our level of gratitude? Britton offers these suggestions: Pay attention to good things, large and small. This often requires intentional thought because bad things are more salient to us than good things. For example, I have a friend in his 80’s with arthritis in his hands. He becomes aware of it whenever he knocks something over or has trouble picking something up. I suggested that whenever he finds himself saying, “My poor crippled hands,” that he follow it with “My magnificent legs that let me walk every day without cane or walker.” That does not mean ignoring the painful or disabled. It means balancing it with occasional thoughts of how lucky we are to have so many working parts! We have to work a little to give the positive thoughts space in our brains. Pay attention to bad things that are avoided. I recently tripped over a small stump and fell flat on my face during a practice hike to get ready for our trip to the mountains. When I picked myself up, I was very grateful to have only a deep bruise on my thigh, no broken bones. It will take a while for the gorgeous 8 inch bruise to go away, but I can still hike. Thank goodness! Practice downward comparisons. That means thinking about how things could be worse, or were worse, or are worse for someone else. I don’t particularly like the idea of making myself feel more grateful by thinking of others who are worse off than I am. But it doesn’t have to be interpersonal. You can use downward comparison by remembering your own times of adversity or being aware of adversity avoided. The poet, Robert Pollock, said it thus: “Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy.” Here’s a work example. I have two friends who recently moved into the same department in the same company. One is relieved and happy because the situation seems so much better than before. The other is dissatisfied because the teamwork characterizing the old job is no longer there. The first has an easy time with downward contrast. The second will have to work a little harder to find reasons to be grateful. Establish regular times to focus on being grateful. Gratitude is a character strength that can be enhanced with practice. So practice. Marty Seligman describes two exercises in Authentic Happiness, the Gratitude Visit and a form of keeping a gratitude journal. When facing a loss or a difficult task or situation, remind yourself to be grateful both for what you haven’t lost and for the strengths and opportunities that arise from facing difficulties. Negative moods are catching, but positive ones can be as well. The character, Pollyanna, helped other people see the benefits in their situations by teaching them the Glad Game. Sometimes, having someone else see what is good in your own life makes it visible to you. Elicit and reinforce gratitude in the people around you. Tennen and Affleck found that benefit-seeking and benefit-remembering are linked to psychological and physical health. Benefit finding involves choosing to focus on the positive aspects of the situation and avoiding the feeling of being a victim. So now you know her secret. Sure she may be talented too, but she’s happy and that is her competitive edge. Find ways to increase your own happiness: focus on gratitude, celebrate little victories, look for the positive in every situation, what ever works for you and get ready to experience your own career success.