Career hacks

Purpose Won’t Find You Until You Get Started

April 23, 2013

You’d think getting where you want to be in your career and life would be the big challenging facing most of us. But the truth is, for many 20- and 3o-somethings and even beyond, the challenge is often even more basic: figuring out what the heck it is you want. Not knowing what you want […]

Read the Rest →

On Being a Finisher

April 8, 2013

You know how, at the beginning of the year, your favorite gym class is so crammed with resolution-drunk people that you can barely get a spot? And how after a few weeks or months they drop off and you’re back to the regulars? We’re into April now, and this is the time when temporary gym […]

Read the Rest →

Focus on Where You’re Going, Not Where You’ve Been

December 19, 2012

I wrote this piece for Brazen Careerist’s blog, but it just as easily could’ve run here. Because describing yourself in terms of where you’re going, rather than where you’ve been, is a solid way to make your own luck. Here’s an excerpt: If there's one mistake job seekers and ambitious professionals make while working toward […]

Read the Rest →

What Would Your Life Be Like If You Started Thinking Differently?

October 31, 2012

Really. Stop and think about it for a moment. What if you approached everything with a more open mind, without the assumptions and obligations that keep you from living the life you want? That’s what Leo Babauta asks in his post on our willingness to think differently. He writes: It means you have to be […]

Read the Rest →

A Trick for Getting Where You Want to Be, Faster

October 10, 2012

Feel like you’re not moving fast enough toward your goals? Like you’re stagnant, struggling against the current? Here’s a counter-intuitive strategy that will help you make progress faster than ever before. Stop waiting until you’re ready We all tend to wait until we feel ready to make a change, or even take steps toward that […]

Read the Rest →

Making Today Worth It

October 4, 2012

More than a year ago, I was talking with Jenny Blake about all things solopreneurial: leaving your company to work for yourself, how much money you have to make to feel secure, and figuring out how to structure your day when no one forces structure upon you. She said something that has stuck with me, […]

Read the Rest →

When Feeling Unhappy and Unfulfilled Becomes Normal

August 22, 2012

A few nights ago I watched a new documentary, I’m Fine, Thanks, a film about complacency and expectations and living the American Dream — even if it’s not your dream. (I got an early download because I backed the project on Kickstarter, but the film will soon be available for purchase. In the meantime, you […]

Read the Rest →

The Secret to Connecting with Influential People Online

July 30, 2012

When I went to the World Domination Summit a few weeks ago, I had a list of about a dozen people I wanted to meet. Most were well-known bloggers who write about my content areas: careers & entrepreneurship, writing and travel. And guess what? In most cases, those people wanted to connect with me, too. […]

Read the Rest →

Don’t Let This Turning Point in Your Career Pass You By

July 16, 2012

One of the many thought-provoking speakers at the World Domination Summit was Cal Newport, who says you should NOT follow your passion when it comes to choosing a career. Here’s what he thinks you should do instead: choose something you’re good at ““ and hopefully something you like doing even if you don’t love it […]

Read the Rest →