Key Ingredient For Success

Some may say you need one or more of the following to be successful;

1. Intelligence
2. Respecting your values
3. Motivation
4. Determination
5. Skill/talent etc.

and for each one they would be correct - at least to some degree. Many of my clients come searching for those very things and because they are important and specific to each individual, individual action plans and strategies must be formulated. However there is one key factor that would negate all of the above if it were not implemented as part of the client's overall strategy. That is scheduling the tasks necessary to achieve the desired goals. In other words effective and visible time management.

"Time management" you may exclaim is important but definitely not a key ingredient. However let me ask this question - if you do not schedule the tasks and the necessary time will you be able to complete the necessary steps to achieve goals, regardless of how motivated or intelligent or determined you may be. Being busy is not the path of success unless it is a focused busy.

Many of us lead hectic lives and find ourselves getting nowhere. You may look back over the day, week or month and feel like you've been run off your feet but cannot identify clearly where you have spent your time or why you have spent your time the way you did. That is a sign of being reactive rather than proactive and this approach does not lead to success rather frustration.

So next time you plan your day, do not just make a list - make a list where you allocate a piece of the day for each task. That way you are at least conscious of not performing certain tasks if unexpected obligations appear. You then have a choice but being conscious of this choice is the first step towards effectively scheduling your time for tasks important for you.

If you want more information on time management and scheduling please email me at info@dynamiclifecreations.com

Right Side Brain Careers - Increase in Future Demand

Whilst we enjoy the fruits of technology; multi-media, gadgets, vehicle technology, home electronics etc. we are promoting the increase in power of computer software that permits such advances. This computer software is performing tasks for which once humans were necessary and most company layoffs are due to technological advances. In addition to computing power we are losing jobs that are now being outsourced to Asia. Companies are investing more time in Asia and the one thing these countries are not short of is intelligent people. The only thing preventing full outsourcing is the language barrier but this is being addressed as I write. Therefore it is evident that more and more 'information' based jobs will disappear in the future.

On the other hand consider the creative advances that our society has experienced over the past 15 years, in particular the last 5, and the value that they have been provided by society. Design artists, entertainers, artists....careers that involve flair, creativity, ingenuity, emotional intelligence....these are the occupations that have experienced strong positive trends and a definite increase in perceived value within our community. These are the occupations that are driven by the right side of our brain as opposed to the left 'information' side of our brain.

If you think about it this trend has been occurring for many years now. Consider where society spends its money - art, entertainment, relaxing, gadgets. These are not things to necessarily make our life easier but are for our enjoyment and to increase, though this may be subconscious, our standing in society. All of these occupations are right side brain driven and the side to which most of society gravitates. We consider right side brain people to be better at communication, more fun, more 'cool' and now of a greater entrepreneurial spirit. Left side or 'information' based people are regarded as straight, uninteresting, not socially adept but are looked upon as useful and necessary. Therefore we should all consider making our right side of the brain a more effective and utilized part of our life.

How should we do this? Begin by tapping into your creative side, identifying new hobbies, going to school to learn new education. You should also consider your own occupation to see where you can make it more creative - also you may want to consider whether your job is in danger of becoming extinct. Right side brain careers will increase in the future and we must be prepared for this with a plan. A plan that should be put into effect today.

Future Career & Business Trend Predictions

Our world is constantly changing and so with it does the economic market place. When the economy shifts so do the resource requirements, both in skill demand and time requirements, leading to a shift in the demand for occupations.

I was reading an article today on MSN referencing a few over-40 (years old) friendly industries where with the upcoming deluge of baby boomer retirements and other demand/supply inefficiencies the following occupations will be in high demand. They were health care, business to business services, education and services for the older generation. In particular the articles regarded these occupations as over-40 friendly because they required a mix of experience, maturity and wisdom.

However another interesting fact was that the prediction from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was that by 2010, which is only three years away, 65% of won't be employees. We will be employed but not as employees, rather as freelancers, contractors etc as companies look to aim more lean and efficient. My question is are we, as a society, preparing effectively for this change which though might not happen by 2010 I would say 2015 at the outside. This guess is based on the continuation of merger activity, outsourcing and technology. I would venture and say financial services, which employs many millions of people around the major cities of the globe, will lose out to outsourcing and technology and mergers over the next five years.

Some key facts on the above occupations (all United States related);

1. Between 2004-2014 3.6million more health care jobs will be required; more than any other industry.
2. Two million more teaching positions will be required in the next ten years.
3. 76million baby boomers are on the path to retirement and between 2003-2030 the elderly population will double.

The main point I wanted to make, along with pointing out some key industries for the future, is to bring to your attention that the status quo will never remain the same forever. In today's world it is changing quicker than ever in history. The next question is whether you are aware of what is changing around you and what actions are you taking to take advantage?

Should Your Life Have Meaning?

"Should my life have a meaning" is a conversation I have with a number of my clients on a regular basis. Perhaps too regular. This question can bring with it a lot of stress for many people as they question what they have done, am doing or will be doing with their life. Over the last few years the concept of a 'meaningful' life has become more prevalent in our society and is listed a goal of many ie. along with being financially free and having a wonderful relationship we also see 'doing something meaningful'.

However an article in today's The Times got me thinking about this 'life meaning' way of thinking and how it can be achieved. The article in question alludes to the fact that we, humans, are looking at ourselves more as economic units and that all education we undertake must add to our economic worth, rather than learning for enjoyment or personal growth. It's all about what must I do to get dollars or pounds or whatever it is you earn. The question is can this advancement of the economic unit be achieved along with this 'life meaning' we all seek.

I would assume it is very much possible to have it all in life....however it may take time to achieve ie. financial security and 'life meaning' can be achieved but not at the same time. Therefore being stressed about not having both is something no controllable and therefore should be let go. Life and/or career coaching and counselling, along with assessments such as the Myers Briggs or Strong Interest Inventory can assist you in exploring your values and ranking these values so that you focus on what is most important.

Therefore should your life have meaning? Well if it is important to you it should but your life plan should balance that out against your other goals. It may result in this "meaning" being achieved later in life when other goals have been achieved. However I leave you with this....have a think of what you define as meaningful and start small. In some small way this approach may allow to you to have it all.