Blogs

If you're used to falling into jobs this new way of thinking may be foreign to you...  

You budget for a two-week vacation each year so have you considered saving up to invest in your 30+ year career? 

As a positive outcome to the Great Recession, it's my hope that more people manage their careers like they manage their 401Ks--with purpose, yearly investment and expert help.  In fact, as I recently blogged on WholeLiving.com, outside help can help turn our stalled dreams into reality faster than we could ever do alone.

Unfortunately for the 4.4 million Americans experiencing long-term unemployment (over 1 year), investing in themselves is even more of a challenge now that it's coming up against paying the rent.  

Don't wait until you get to this point to invest in yourself and your career.  To get convinced, read on for my client Mary's success story.  After she invested in her career she was promoted and has even more to spend on her vacations and her career: 

Importance of Investing In Yourself Now Before It's Too Late

Q: You invested in your career both thru coaching and school.  How does it feel now to see results from your efforts?  Was it worth it?

A: Investing in yourself is one of the most critical aspects to a healthy career.  Working with you Maggie helped me identify, assess, and confidently verbalize my strengths. Your coaching helped my confidence tremendously.  Now I know if I focus on what I find inspiring (strengths, areas of interest) opportunity will follow.

Q: How did you know it was time to invest in your career?  What motivated you to make changes?

A: In today's rapidly changing environment, feeling passion about who you are, where you are and where you want to go is crucial.  You have to be the best because the talent pool is large.  Investing in coaching with you gave me confidence and expertise about my own skills.   

Q: Any advice for people considering investing in their careers to make a change? (do's, don'ts)

A: Any steps forward, no matter how small, add up over time.  Doing nothing is not a solution. 

Q: What have you learned about managing your career that's helped you find more happiness in your work?

A: Once I identified my strengths through our coaching work it was easy to translate these skills into my workplace.  I also took time to communicate to management these strengths and future goals [and I was recently promoted].  Alignment with goals and strengths is the key to workplace happiness.

Thank you Mary and congratulations!  Check out more client success stories!

Share your stories of how you've invested in yourself and the benefits you've received.  I know Mary is not the only one taking charge of her career.  You can be too!  What's keeping you from making the investment in your career happiness and success?

For those of you following me on Facebook and Twitter, you know that I recently traveled to Africa for vacation (view photos.) What you may not know was that I also learned a very important life lesson…

It was beautiful and sunny in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.  For days I had been contemplating doing a 425 meter zipline across the mighty Zambezi river gorge.

The thought of hanging from a harness on a rope strung from one side of the gorge to the other was frightening but also exhilarating.  I spoke with everyone about it, even my Facebook friends. Had they done it before?  What was it like? Were they glad they did it?  They all loved the experience!  Being in Africa made me want to push my boundaries and be more adventurous.  Yet still I was scared.

Why would I intentionally go off the side of cliff? Is this something a sane person does?  I had my concerns.  Yet still I mulled over the idea until the day came for the zipline excursion.  It was fun to be part of the brave group that said yes to adventure despite the dangers.  I felt cool.  I confidently went through the steps from putting on the harness to marching up to the gorge’s edge.

All of the sudden, fear took hold.  

I stopped and said to the guide, "This is a good idea, right?" fully expecting "yeah it's cool" in return.  But what I heard instead was a life lesson...

"It's good in life to conquer your fears” he said. 

I did a doubletake. He was right.  I stepped up to the edge and took a deep breath.  I let go and zipped through breathtaking scenery.  I didn't feel scared, I felt serene and as if the only things that existed were me and that gorge.  It was peaceful.  I was peaceful.  

When I arrived on the other side of the gorge, I had not only changed countries (Victoria Falls spans Zambia and Zimbabwe), I had changed perspective.

Fear wasn't going to stop me from having beautiful, exhilarating experiences. It is good in life to conquer your fears.  

I share this story because making a career change or going after your ideal career can be just as scary. You may be at the edge ready to make a leap but stopped in your tracks because of fear.

Take it from me and let these words ring as true in your ears as they did in mine that day, “It’s good in life to conquer your fears.” Say it out loud and really feel the power.

I did it and you can too. Share your fears and how you’ve conquered them (or would like to).  I’d love to hear your stories!

Having the career of your dreams often requires taking smart risks.  

That's just one of the lessons I've learned from Martha Stewart.  She had the courage to borrow $97 million dollars to buy her magazine out from Time Inc. and that smart risk led to the founding of her now multi-million dollar Omnimedia company.   

Perhaps there's a smart risk you've been debating in your career - making a career change, taking a sabbatical, or making a side business your full-time focus. Whatever you've been dreaming about, consider taking a risk and giving your dream a chance at success.  

"Be the change you want to see in the world" was Ghandi's advice.

So today I'm walking that talk and taking a smart risk to move my career forward by asking you to nominate me for "Live with Regis and Kelly"'s Women of Radio Co-host For a Day Search.  I want more people to Soul Search, Research and Job Search into their ideal careers and I'm excited at the prospects of reaching a larger audience with this national TV opportunity.

My career is in your hands.  To get this opportunity I need as many people as possible to nominate me between now and when the search ends on July 16th, 2010.

TO NOMINATE ME: 

All you need to do is go to the Women of Radio Co-Host For a Day Search website.  Once there, you'll need to submit why you think I'd be a great fit for the job along with the following:

• My business phone: 212-707-8119
• A link to The Martha Stewart SiRIUSXM Radio Station website: http://www.marthastewart.com/radio
• A link to my bio: http://www.maggiemistal.com/about.htm
• A link to my video reel: http://www.maggiemistal.com/media/how-land-job-interview.htm
• A link to an audio clip from my radio show, "Making a Living with Maggie": http://www.maggiemistal.com/making-a-living.htm
• A photo of me: http://www.maggiemistal.com/media.htm

(Attention Mac users - please use Safari to submit your nomination as FireFox and IE may not work.)

To return the favor, I would be happy to support you in taking your smart career risk.  Comment on this post or contact me directly with your dream and what you need to make it happen.  I promise to take each request to heart and do my best to help you be a success.  Thank you for any support you can offer - I'm truly feeling the fear and doing it anyway!

Photo courtesy of Click Flash Photos/Nikki Varkevisser.

If you're not one of the billions who've been watching World Cup Soccer, you're missing out on some key career lessons.  

Now I understand, you can't watch every game over the course of a month. (The World Cup lasts from June 11th to July 11th.)

But you can get the highlights here of the most important career lessons learned so far from the players, coaches and fans.

(Photo courtesy of US Army Africa.)

Career Lessons Learned from the World Cup

1. Meditate and visualize your goals coming to fruition -- It works!  Just ask US Midfielder Landon Donovan.  He scored the winning goal with just minutes remaining to push the US into the second round of play.  In a post-game interview, Donovan said he meditates and visualizes himself scoring goals as preparation.  Sounds like a great strategy for any goal -- with a soccer ball or not.  (Learn more on How to psych yourself up for success.)
2. Don't wait to be tested to bring your "A" game.  The coach for Italy dismissed media reports that his team had delivered lackluster play in their matches stating there was no need to play hard because they hadn't really been tested.  Unfortunately in a must-win game against Slovakia, the Italians came up short and lost the match.  Italy shocked the world by failing to make the second round after having won the entire World Cup tournament in 2006.  Get in the habit of doing your best even when you don't have to.  It will build your confidence and abilities for those times they're needed most.  (Read more on Avoiding the Summer Slump.)
3. Cooler heads really do prevail.  Unfortunately the French team fell into disarray when conflicts between some players and coaches erupted in a flurry of resignations. France failed to make the second round and the remaining team members headed home.  Emotions can get the best (or rather worst) of us if we let them.  When you're upset with your colleagues or boss, don't react from emotion but calm down first and act with reason.  It may sound easier said than done but in hindsight I'm sure many of the French players and coaches have learned this lesson the hard way and publically.  (Watch my video on How to Deal with a Difficult Boss.) 

I hope you'll join me and catch a match or two of this 2010 World Cup.  Even watching on TV, the energy and excitement are palpable and uplifting.  You might even learn a thing or two you can apply back at the office.

Go USA!!!!!!!!!!!

(Second and third photos courtesy of JasonWhat.)

Do you feel respected by the people you work with?  Do you respect your boss?  What about your employer?

Being able to garner respect at work is one of those important intangibles that can make all the difference in your ability to get things done.  

Recently on my show “Making a Living with Maggie” on Martha Stewart Living Radio, I focused on specific steps to getting more respect with productivity expert Niyi Taiwo author of Respect: Gaining It and Sustaining It.  

Here’s what he had to say about gaining respect:

• You must demonstrate respect for others if you want it for yourself.  Sounds simple but sometimes we don’t respect the people we have to work for and with.  What then?  Niyi’s advice – even if you can’t respect the person, respect the position.  Your boss deserves a certain level of respect just for being in the position.  If you can respect the role and the control he/she has over your job, you will act in a more respectful way and that can only help you garner more respect.
• Be a performance employee.  According to Niyi, performing well consistently is key to sustaining respect. His definition of performance goes beyond being competent.  A performance employee is one who projects a positive attitude and finds the upside or opportunity in every challenge.  Performing well also entails energy and drive, understanding what motivates you and aligning your work with those values.

As Niyi points so aptly points out, “Success without respect if very hollow.”  It’s also more difficult because you don’t get the support you need from others.  

Try boosting your own levels of respect by finding ways to respect others and managing your own performance well.  And if you have more ideas on gaining and sustaining respect, share them.  I respect your opinion!