The days following those fateful words, "We have to let you go," are dismal ones indeed. Some mornings, it's tough to even get out of bed. It's a sobering reality and one that Jon Gordon, speaker, consultant, and author of The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy (Wiley, 2007) says that unemployed job seekers must confront. "All to often, as one scours skimpy classifieds and job boards, grim scenarios play like an endless over and over: We'll lose the house...We'll have to move in with my parents...I'll never find work in this economy."
How to overcome this downward spiral? How to transform lemons into lemonade? Gordon says that the right approach and a well-defined plan pay big dividends. I recently caught with him and here's his advice for coping with tough times and a challenging employment market:
Q: It's easy to say "stay positive" but it's tough to maintain a bright outlook with a crumbling economy and a tight job market? How can a person really move forward and stay motivated?
A: By knowing that history is on their side. If you study people who thrived during past recessions and even the depression they all shared the same characteristics. They stayed positive. They focused on opportunities, not challenges. They turned misfortune into fortune. They refused to participate in the negative economy. The alternative to staying positive is not an option. It doesn’t mean that you’ll get the dream job you want if you stay positive but I can guarantee that your probability of finding a great job or a job at all is much lower if you are negative. You have to believe in your ability to find a job and you must believe there are jobs to be found. So often the difference between success and failure is belief. Positive beliefs lead to positive actions which leads to great results. Life is often a self fulfilling prophecy.
Q: Individuals who fall into the 50+ category may find it even more challenging to find work in today's environment. What steps can these older job-seekers take?
A: First, they need to believe it’s not too late to create success. If you believe that it’s too late to find a job you love then it is. Next they need to identify their strengths, talents and gifts. They need to identify the need in the marketplace for these gifts. Finally, they need to focus, work hard and improve every day and see themselves as life-long learners. I was speaking at an event in Dallas and Zig Ziglar was taking notes. Eighty-two years old and he’s taking notes. Zig is a life long learner and that is the key to success.
Q: How common is fear, anger, and depression? How can someone avoid being dragged down by these issues?
A: Fear, anger and depression are very common. I was depressed and angry when I lost my job. The fact is, we all get down. We are human. The key is knowing how to turn it around so you don’t allow the negativity to bring you down a spiral staircase of despair. I believe one of the best ways to counter this fear is with faith. After all, faith and fear both believe in a future that hasn’t happened yet. Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. If neither hasn’t happened yet then why not believe in the positive future. One of the habits that really helped me was a walk of prayer and gratitude every morning. I was filled with so many ideas and inspiration and insights during these walks that it lead me to create a much better future for myself after being laid off.
Q: In the book you talk about people creating their own reality. How do we create our own reality? Can you illustrate what you mean by this?
A: I mean that one person looks at a job loss as the worst event in their life. Another person looks at the same job loss as a blessing and an opportunity to find the job and work they have always wanted. Same event. Two different perspectives. Two difference responses that I bet will lead to very different results. We can’t control the events in our life but we can control how we respond to these events and this so often determines the outcome. Your perception is also influenced by the story you tell yourself and the role you play in the story. You have decide if you are telling yourself a drama, horror story or inspirational tale. You have to decide whether you are the victim or overcomer in the story.
Q: Why should someone consider a mentor? How can this help?
A: Someone should try to find a mentor in the field of work they want to pursue. These mentors offer a model of success that you can emulate. They show you how success is possible and they provide a blue print for making it happen. If they can do it so can you.
Q: What does it mean to be humble and hungry? What is the net effect of this?
A: Humble means that you see everyone as a teacher and that you are willing to learn new skills, seek new opportunities and be open to change. You are flexible. You are also hungry in that you have a passion to be your best and bring out the best in others. If you are humble and hungry you will always find success.
Q: How can a person who still holds a job help family or friends who have been laid off?
A: You can be there for your friends and family. You can encourage them, support them, love them and let them know you are there for them. You can’t drive anyone else’s bus but you can help people drive their own bus.
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