Six Steps To Self Confidence

I am sure everyone will agree that you cannot achieve much in life without a good deal of self confidence. A state of inner confidence is only achieved through a balanced mixture of high self-esteem, realistic belief in yourself, a good measure of self-respect and an accurate positive self-image.

The way you feel about yourself, how you see yourself and believe others see you, is a key issue in how you live your life. It is the foundation upon which you build your successes and the shaky ground on which your failures occur. By developing your self-confidence and belief in your own innate abilities you will be enable to recognise and take advantage of more of the opportunities that are presented to you but until now have gone unnoticed. You will also have the strength and inner belief that is essential in overcoming the inevitable pitfalls and obstacles that life throws at you. By developing this aspect of your personality you can achieve, what may appear now to be, impossible goals.

For each time you put your new found confidence to the test and discover that you are a winner, you will strengthen it immeasurably and move forward in your own personal development a greater speed than you can imagine. Your belief in yourself will grow with each new challenge until you begin to see challenges, not only through the eyes of a person who believes in themselves but also, as someone who knows they can achieve anything - because you begin to see yourself as a person who has the confidence in their abilities to find a way to do it!

When Hannibal told his generals he wanted to cross the Alps, with about 38,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants, to reach Italy and attack Rome the replies were unanimous, “It can’t be done!”. Hannibal’s reply to this is now the now famous quote, “We will find a way or we will make one!” Such was the confidence he had in his own abilities.

Here are some points to follow that will help you develop a similar level of self-confidence:

As best you can, stop berating and judging yourself harshly. There are numerous people in the world who will jump at the chance to do that for you. Be gentle with yourself and recognise that your mistakes are merely learning opportunities. Keep in mind that your words have power. They direct your thinking. When you speak in a certain way you begin to formulate ideas and beliefs which are in harmony with the words you are using. These beliefs in turn have a major impact on the action you take and the way you conduct yourself throughout your life. So choose words that uplift you, encourage you and strengthen you and go easy on yourself when you make a mistake. Recognise what you have to learn from it and move on.

Seek out the company of people you want to emulate. Look for self-confident people to mirror. Watch the way the walk and how they talk. Put yourself in positive environments as much as you can. Your environment and the people around you dramatically affect your level of confidence whether you realise it or not. Immerse yourself in people who build you up but that are honest and forthright with you. These are the type of people who will show you where you can improve while also reinforcing that you can do it and that the job you have done thus far is great. They can help you work on your faults while praising you with each step forward you make. Negative people only pull you down and should be avoided. If someone tells you often enough that you can't do something you will begin to believe them and thus form a negative belief about yourself. Such people are toxic and must be avoided at all costs.

Be a person who is true to their word. Take action when you vow to take action. Follow through on your plans even if it initially looks like there is no way forward. That doesn’t mean being inflexible. Of course there will be times when you need to compromise and alter your goals and plans but always stay true to your vision. I promise you another way will present itself. If you give up you will seriously damage your confidence! A key point to remember is that there is no such thing as failure - you only fail when you give up! If you keep on keeping on, trying different approaches and staying steadfast to your ideal, you will eventually succeed. The knock-on affect is that your confidence in yourself will grow and you will also have the added knowledge of what not to do. Failure is the greatest teacher but only if you learn from it and use it!

Feel the fear and do it anyway! If you stand up and face that thing that you are most afraid of and do it anyway very often the fear disappears. If it doesn’t the first it will the second, third or fourth. Doing this will prove to your subconscious mind that nothing bad did occur from taking that action. For example you will find that talking to that person didn't make you stop breathing or giving a lecture didn't make you die, or walking across the bridge wasn’t life-threatening etc.!

Keep a diary of all your achievements not matter how small and don‘t let others ridicule you for it. I know of a person who was terrified of balloons. Now to you or me this sounds ridiculous but to him it was as frightening as facing certain death. You know what your fear is! Many times in life fail to acknowledge the progress we are making simply because 'we can't see the forest for the trees'. We get caught up in the big picture and don’t see the smaller gains that are actually getting us closer to our goal.

Think of a time when you met someone you hadn't seen in years. Do you remember noticing how much they had changed? You could see it yet to their family, close friends and people who seen them everyday the changes would have been almost imperceptible! Take the time to write down every little gain you make. Soon you will be able to read back over it and really see just how far you have come. Write down the fears you faced, how you faced them and obstacles you overcame. Explain how you felt before and how you felt after. This will help keep you motivated in times of internal struggle and show you just how far you have come in your journey to more self confidence.

Finally when you go to bed at night let your mind think of all the achievements you had during the day and week and month. No matter how small these achievements may seem give yourself credit for all of them. Upon waking in the morning visualize yourself for 5 or 10 minutes beaming with joy and confidence as the day unfolds and you will literally set yourself up for a successful day and incredible life!

21 Days to More Confidence

Tom Brady, star quarterback of the New England Patriots, is described by many as the best ever at his position. He is the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and he has now won 3 out of the 4 Super Bowl games he has played, which is also a record at his age.

After his college career at the University of Michigan came to a close, he entered the National Football League draft, where the player considered to be the best in the nation is drafted first, then the next best player is drafted, and so on. Tom Brady was drafted 199th out of 199.

When Brady was interviewed on “60 Minutes”, the interviewer noted that the professional football scouts had tested Brady prior to the draft and found that he was slow, didn’t move well, couldn’t avoid a blitz, and didn’t have good arm strength. He then asked Tom why he was able to achieve so much with those seeming handicaps. Tom Brady’s response was, “They couldn’t measure my competitiveness”.

When Brady talked about all he had achieved, the interviewer said it sounded like he was bragging. Tom’s reply was, “If you’ve done it, it ain’t bragging”.

Supreme confidence is the hallmark of the great champions, and that confidence is built on accomplishments. You can strengthen your confidence with some simple and effective actions. Psychologists tell us that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so you can have a more confident attitude in just 3 weeks.

Here’s the strategy: Every evening write down some simple goals to be accomplished the next day.

These goals should be something as easily achievable as buying a book, going to the gym, sending an email, calling a friend, or shining your shoes. Here’s the key: Write the goals down on 3x5cards and keep them prominently in view on your bathroom mirror, your sun visor, your desk or other locations where you see them throughout the day.

Resolve to accomplish every small, short term goal you have listed, and when the goal is accomplished, use a big Magic Marker to make a large check mark on the card, and write in big letters, “I DID IT!”

Do this every day for the next 21 days, and you will be amazed at the new sense of confidence building within you. You have now formed a new habit of accomplishing any goal you write down.

You Can Still Win!

I find it disheartening to see people who, when faced with life’s battles, decide to give up and retreat when I know that despite all that is happening, no matter how painful it feels, they can prevail. When confronted with the toughest moments in your life, you can’t afford to succumb to fear, anger, or self-pity, yet it is easy to do so. You just want it to be over, and you wonder why this terrible setback had to happen to you. But you have to put those thoughts and feelings aside and re-focus your mind and your efforts on creating success. There’s really no other option if you want to succeed.

Rarely do people become successful painlessly and quickly, although there are the occasional exceptions. Perhaps you’re acquainted with some of these individuals. They’re accepted into the right schools. Doors open to high-paying jobs. Soon after starting a job, they become a top performer, or are promoted to a senior position. Their company rockets to success. They start a business and it booms. But for most people, it doesn’t happen that way. It takes time to figure out what direction to move in, whether working toward a personal, career, or business goal. There’s a learning curve. Usually it’s only after years of effort that there’s finally an understanding of what it takes to achieve your goals. There are many, many attempts to do the right things and make the right connections. In the interim, there are missteps, setbacks, and times where it doesn’t look like it will happen at all. Sometimes the setbacks are big and hard to recover from – but you can recover. Trust me.

I have recovered time and time again. Whenever I start to feel down about the challenges I face, I remind myself that I am playing in the greatest sporting event of all time. It’s called life. There’s no place where there is greater action or suspense. And there’s no limit to the potential rewards. Like the sporting events we watch on television or at the stadium, it’s the team or person who has the best vision, the most thorough preparation, the best skills, and the greatest determination that will win. In some of life’s contests, you may only need one of these elements to be the winner.

There may be something you’re working on, some achievement that isn’t yet happening. You may be pursuing a career and find that you’re receiving rejection after rejection. You may have a business that you haven’t figured out yet. You may have a small operation and find yourself competing in a field of giants. You may have a sales job that you enjoy, yet your performance is not up to par. You may encounter a number of problems, downturns, and difficult circumstances. You may be relying on savings, credit, or the generosity of family and friends to keep yourself afloat. You may be behind in your bill payments, or facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, or eviction. Here’s what I want you to understand, regardless of your circumstances:

 Your situation is not a sign of incompetence.

 Your situation is not a sign of irresponsibility.

 Your situation is not a sign of destiny.

 Your situation does not deserve punishment.

 Your situation does not deserve pity.

 Your situation is not fatal.

 Your situation is definitely not final.

Setbacks and challenges may be uncomfortable — sometimes very uncomfortable — but setbacks and challenges don’t have to be the last word. I am not trained as a psychologist, but I do know a thing or two about problems and setbacks – I’ve had hundreds. And I can tell you that you have the ability to change your situation.

As someone with a life full of challenges, I consider myself in great company. Each day, millions face difficult moments. Some stay there. Others learn, develop, make change, and improve their results. I have always been and will always be one of the latter.

You have to be honest with yourself and say, “No I didn’t get where I want,” No I’m on the wrong track,” “No I have a distance to travel.” If you do, and take the right actions, you will get where you want to go, because “You Can Still Win!”

The Power of Living in Your Truth and Authenticity

"You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

John 8:32

Truth: The REAL state of things

Your life is a mirror of the way you live your truth and of your reality.

In our politically correct environment, everyone must like what everyone else is doing. We have replaced our truth with lies. That might sound harsh but, after all, this is an article on truth!

We have become conditioned to hold back the real truth in many situations. We hold our truth in. Stuffed into our minds and bodies, our truth clogs our entire systems, like a plugged fuel line to a motor -- not operating at full potential -- sputtering through life.

Think about this: Have you ever kept a significant truth inside or unstated for some time and when you finally let it out, you felt like a weight had been lifted from your shoulders?

When we lie, we falsely believe we are doing something beneficial to help the situation. We use excuses such as I don’t want to hurt their feelings, I don’t think they or I could handle the truth, the truth hurts so I won’t say anything.

Here are some examples where we are conditioned to not tell our truth.

* Your significant partner just left you; you feel like a truck just ran over you. Someone in the office asks you how you are doing; you respond: Fine! Hey, that’s not truth. You feel awful . . . with good reason . . . so be real!

* You are in a work situation; the boss asks if you like your job and the work environment. You say, Yes, it’s just fine, but you really don’t like the situation and you mislead your boss and yourself on the truth. You tell a lie.

* Let’s reverse the situation. Think of yourself in the role of boss. An employee asks you if you like his/her work. You say Yes, but you have an ad in next week’s paper, looking for a new employee. You have told the individual a lie.

* You go to dinner at the home of friends and the meal is just terrible. They ask you how you like the meal; you state It’s great . . . another lie. So the next time you visit there, the same food in on the table. After all, you approved it before; why not make it again?

* Your child has done something very poorly and knows it. He says to you, Isn’t that great? and you agree. Another falsehood.

* A telemarketer calls. You stay on the line not expressing your truth, which is I have no time for this.

* Someone asks you about your success. You exaggerate (lie) about your accomplishments to cover up insecurities, fear, or to get approval.

How have we digressed so far as to think that lies are more effective or powerful than the truth?

By the way, being truthful is different than being a whiner or a victim of your life and circumstances.

Interesting enough, many of these lies are directed toward ourselves; we deny our own truth. By doing so, we lower and give away our own personal purpose and energy. Truth is the difference between being authentic or fake -- real instead of phony. We have become sheep ready for slaughter and we have denied others our truth. This is a destructive behavior pattern.

Alert: Before you go out to tell everyone how you REALLY feel about them, there is a caveat. You must speak your truth with compassion -- not only to others but to yourself.

This is not about hurting yourself and others; it’s about releasing what is true. Truth does and will set you free when done with a good heart. You will be stating facts -- not releasing emotionally charged truths launched with arrows, blame, or vengeance.

Your truth should not be about being callous, judgmental, or putting someone/something down. It should simply be about the facts as you see them and about your truth.

Have you seen someone constantly lying (sucking up to) a person of stature and authority? What did you think of the person who was not being truthful? Did you wonder where else this person was living a lie? Could you deeply trust this person? If you are being honest, most likely not!

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, identified that the most successful companies are brutally honest about their condition. They do not live on Fantasy Island but on truth. How can quality, purposeful decisions be made on false or untrue information? They can’t.

Finally, what about the individuals who are not truthful about the true condition of their lives -- physical, financial, mental, spiritual, social, relationships, etc.? It’s time to be real about your life and to move forward from a position of truth and authenticity at all levels.

Yes, I have been guilty of not stating my truth in the past -- of not being real. Looking back, I realize how much that modus operandi cost me in personal energy, relationships, business, and credibility. And I have also been truthful without compassion; my truth has ridden the emotions of revenge and anger. Neither of these approaches to the truth proves beneficial.

At this moment, I encourage everyone reading this article to achieve freedom by living and stating what’s true for you . . . not in an intense judgmental way, but in a calm, confident, grounded space. Make this commitment for everyone and everything -- you don’t get to pick and choose where you will be truthful. Be 100% authentic.

Be aware of the freedom and incredible feelings you experience as you more toward more and more truth in your life.

Action Steps for Living in Your Truth

1. Acknowledge there is no benefit in misleading yourself or others in lies.

2. Embrace the fact that your truth can set you free.

3. Speak your truth with compassion, not in judgment or anger.

4. Lying is often based on fear, the need for approval, or a lack of self-worth. Stop doing it now!

5. The more authentic you are, the more self-confidence you will exude and the more action you will take.

6. Think right now where in your life you are not being 100% truthful and authentic. Make a list of everything that comes up for you: When, Who, Where, How, What. If you are having difficulty thinking of instances, use the examples above to kick-start your process.

7. From your list, clarify and determine the truth for each of your scenarios. Be honest with yourself about your life conditions and your relationships.

8. Take action NOW! I suggest you start with the most difficult item on your list. That way, everything else will seem easy. Make sure you enter this process with compassion to yourself and others.

9. Pay attention to the mental release and energy you gain from your truth.

10. Become aware of day-to-day situations where you omit the truth or are not being authentic. Start changing your habits.

11. Ask for support and feedback from your family and friends.

12. Truth is strength and power. Tell the truth, and then watch how you attract more of what you want into your life.

Until next time, keep "Living On Purpose"

Know You Are More Than Enough

A lack of success, money, love, and even time is often the result of our feeling unworthy on some level. When we feel we don't have enough knowledge, that our ideas are not good enough, that we don't get enough done during a workday, or that we are unlikable for any reason, we are robbing ourselves of the abundance life has to offer. Therefore the key to massive success in any area is to accept that we are wonderful, highly capable human beings in the present moment.

With so many self-improvement books and courses available today, it's easy to lose focus of the core issue of almost every self-development scenario: our basic self esteem.

The majority of problems we create for ourselves in life, and certainly every case of lack, stems from a weak self-image. When we don't feel we measure up to our heroes, or to our own set of ideals, our results will be far below desirable.

This seems so obvious when it's in black and white. While reading this article you may be thinking "I already know this".

However the fact remains that millions of people fail to base their actions and dynamic thinking on the principle of strong self-worth as the driving force for all results. We need to remind ourselves constantly that it's crucial to acknowledge our many capabilities and overall worthiness.

What's more, we need to let go of the notion that we need "just a little more" to really become the person we strive to be. Constant learning and growth should be the aim of every human being, but not because we are somehow lacking in our present states.

Strive to better yourself, but only after you take the time to honestly love yourself as you currently are.

You don't need another technique or a new affirmation to be a better person. You are already wonderful.

You don't need more sales techniques to attract more than enough money to live the life of your dreams. You only need to appreciate the talents you already have and put them into action.

You don't need to improve your personality to find a loving mate. The world is full of people who see your beauty and goodness as you are right now.

Know that you are more than enough and you will have more than enough in your life. Refuse to focus on any perceived lack and instead be grateful for everything you have; before long you'll see even more good things heading your way.

Building Confidence and Releasing the Inner Critic

"Realize you have choices about what you do, or do not want to do. Choose to get out of your comfort zone and say "yes" to reach your peak potential." Loren Fogelman

How often have you thought about your professional goals and how things would be different? You believe you want to take the steps necessary to move forward and grow your practice. Over time, the momentum and the desire begins to change. You're not as focused. There is not as much effort in the process to grow your practice. Slowly, you have returned to "doing business as usual." The goals you had for your practice did not turn into a reality.

I have witnessed this process occur over and over again, with friends, clients and in my mastermind group. The desire and intention are strong. Positive change begins to happen. Then the familiar negative thoughts, the inner critic, appears. The inner critic expresses doubt, fear and criticism. When the inner critic takes center stage it is able to stop progress dead in its tracks.

Your inner critic will remind you that you do not deserve success, you need to have it be perfect and focusing on your goals will take time away from your other many responsibilities. More than likely there is more than one message you hear. The inner critic keeps you frozen in your fears and avoid taking the next step to grow your business.

When you do hear them, do you know whose voice is speaking to you? These messages of doubt, deserving and fear are not originally yours, although they might feel that way. Typically they were told to you by someone you knew, possibly someone you wanted approval from. Over time these messages became internalized; you took ownership of them.

The different negative messages you have from your inner critic when combined together form "the committee." You committee has the job of keeping you stagnant and avoiding taking risks. The purpose is to avoid being vulnerable, experiencing pain or stepping out of your comfort zone where you might fail.

Now that you are aware of your inner critic and the committee, you have a choice. You can choose to stay where you are because it is safe and predictable or you can choose to transform the inner critic in order to free yourself from the negative messages and self imposed limitations.

My goal is always to turn a negative into a positive. Consider the possibility that you are able to release the negative messages you have which prevent you from taking action. Those negative messages are based upon your experiences. Each experience influences your perception and beliefs.

Once you begin to transform the inner critic into a supportive voice, you will begin to clear your energy. This process will increase your vibration. You will be ready to take action and reach your goals.

Your inner critic will be resistant to change and give you many reasons not to take the necessary steps to release those familiar negative messages. The inner critic does not want to give up its power and control.

Now that you are aware of your inner critic you can make the choice for positive change. The choice for positive change is empowering. Listen to your intuition to guide you through this process. As you make the transformation and replace the negative self talk with a positive supportive voice, you will be raising your vibration. This heightened awareness and energy will attract more abundance into your life. Making positive change will help you to successfully reach your goals. Enjoy the opportunity you have created for yourself to make long, lasting positive change.

Assignment: Identify one negative message you tell yourself over and over again which has prevented you from taking the steps necessary to grow your practice. Choose the one which is most familiar to you. Do you know who told you that and where it came from? If not, try to remember when you began telling yourself that message.

Now consider how things would be different for you if that particular message from your inner critic did not exist. Having some type of support helps with making long, lasting change. Identify one person who would be a support for you. Many times family, partners and friends don't understand and are not the ideal support. For significant change, you might want to consider getting professional support to successfully reach your goals.

How An Executive Can Spot Creative Potential in Others

One of the most important responsibilities any executive must handle is seeing that his company gets "the most" from its workers. This is particularly so when it comes to creativeness- the production of the ideas upon which the company is dependent to make money, or to operate efficiently and at a profit.

Most of us, in our everyday lives, make the mistake of oversimplifying our classifications of others. We say someone is "likable" or "not likable." We call him a "pessimist" or an "optimist." We decide a certain worker is "responsible" or "irresponsible." A man is either "loyal" to the company or he is "disloyal." Our definitions are all black or white-we have no "gray scales" for in-betweens.

However, most people, upon careful analysis, fall into the gray area between black and white. And this complicates the job of the executive who is trying to make certain that his company is making the most of the creative potential at its disposal.

The problem of spotting creative potential is also complicated by the fact that people do not always think up to their capacities. It is relatively easy to spot the highly creative person who is using his ability actively and conclusively to its fullest extent. But what do you look for when trying to spot a creative person who is not living up to their potential?

It has been said that "Creativity is best revealed by what it creates." There is certainly a great deal of truth in this. But the practice of looking only at achievement for determining creative potential can cause an executive to overlook many potentially good creative workers who have never had either the inclination or the opportunity to reveal themselves as being creative.

Most suggestions for informal observing and testing to spot creative potential are based on the outward signs of the basic creative characteristics and the thinking patterns of creative people. This puts quite a responsibility upon anyone trying to screen people for creative potential, because so much is dependent upon the observation and correct interpretation of the basic "signs." However, here are some general personality traits to look for:

1. The Observant Person. Generally, a person who is highly alert to what is around him, who sees details and relationships that others miss, has a great advantage in developing creative potential.

2. Knowledge. New ideas are usually combinations of old ideas, or old ideas in new forms. The greater a person's knowledge about his field, the greater his potential creativeness. Remember that field knowledge may be acquired through related experience or on-the-job instruction-it does not necessarily have to be from schooling. It is relatively easy to determine a person's knowledge of his job, field, company, or industry.

3. A Good Memory. This is a part of the acquisition of knowledge, but becomes more important in the less formal types of knowledge. The man who can remember an odd-shaped piece of metal he saw in the storage room at just the time such a piece is needed, may be indicating the kind of "odds- and-ends" memory that frequently typifies a creative mind.

4. The Curious Person. This is an easy-to-spot trait and a key one to be alert for in another person. Chances are anyone without curiosity will not have a very high degree of creative potential. It is important, however, to distinguish between true creative curiosity and the idle type of questioning that only serves as conversation. ("How's the weather outside?" or "Where did you have lunch today?")

6. The Skeptic. In evaluating this quality, it is important to evaluate the quality or motivation of the skepticism. The creative skeptic doubts many things-particularly the obvious things that everyone else accepts perhaps too readily. The noncreative skeptic has destruction or belittlement as his motivation. The two can usually be distinguished by an adroit question or two. The non-creative skeptic will usually assume that things are going from bad to worse and nothing can be done about it, so why try? The creative skeptic normally feels that no matter how bad or how wrong something is, it can always be made better. He may even have some ready suggestions for betterment.

It should also be remembered that few of these "types" of personalities will ever be found in a "pure" state. They have been set out as individuals here to make it easier to distinguish among them. But many people will be mixtures and composites of any or all of these to varying degrees. The mere presence of one such trait, then, is probably not enough to immediately classify a person as "potentially creative."

The detection of several or many such traits, however, should at least give the executive cause to go out of his "way to really get acquainted with the worker. The result of further acquaintance may be the happy discovery of still another mind capable of coping with the company's problems in an imaginative way.

The Executive Job Search . . . 8 Secrets of a Winner!

When you’re looking for a job at the executive job search level, everything is different!

Yet most executive and senior managers look for a job the same way they did when they graduated from college or graduate school.

mail dozens of resumes

post resumes all over the internet

contact lots of agencies & recruiters

answer dozens of ads

go on a couple unproductive interviews

wait and wait for the phone to ring.

And you've probably been disappointed with the results. Resumes go unanswered. The phone doesn't ring. Those executive recruiters who couldn’t wait to get their hands on you before now don’t return your calls or emails. Getting that dream job has turned into a nightmare. Worst of all, you're upset, frustrated and downright depressed.

The reason for the disillusionment is really very simple. Times have changed. Especially since 9/11 and Katrina. The old-fashioned ways of finding a job at the executive level are out . . . at least if you don’t want to be in the marketplace for weeks or months.

The 21st Century solution is run your executive job campaign like you run your business . . . with the same kind of sensible business strategies that make any business work.

For example, if you took a more business-like approach to your executive job search you would:

1. Build a highly-desirable product . . . YOU!

2. Consider the job marketplace as a competitive arena.

3. Package yourself in a way to attract maximum attention.

4. Think of prospective employers as buyers of your product.

5. Target only those employers who are right for you.

6. Promote yourself to them by every available means.

7. Master effective selling techniques.

8. Negotiate like a pro.

It’s what we call becoming a “job entrepreneur.” When you use proven marketing techniques on your executive job search you can significantly reduce your time in the job market. And if you follow our recommended plan, you can be entertaining job offers in as little as 14 days!

Where is Silicon Valley's A-Team?

I once worked on a company funded by Pierre Lamond, veteran Venture Capitalist at Sequoia Capital. During the interview, Pierre asked me, “How old is your father? What does he do? Is he retired?” I explained, that my father (in his sixties) is an entrepreneur, and will never retire, because he still has too many things that he wants to accomplish, and that he will die trying to get through as many of them as possible, and not run out of things to try. Pierre nodded and said, “I don’t understand 50-year old executives who want to play Golf all day.”

I had another conversation with Jim Hogan of Telos Venture Partners over lunch one day on the same subject. Jim said, “You know, when a man is successful, has made money, what he is looking for is his Legacy.”

If you look around Silicon Valley today, there are lots of executives and entrepreneurs who have been successful, made money, and are “waiting in the sidelines” looking for the right next opportunity. VCs and Executive Recuiters recruit CEOs out of this bunch. More than ever before, there is a large population of people today in technology with prior CEO experience, many of them dreaming of something really sizeable, high-impact, game-changing and sufficiently exciting to get their juices flowing again.

The bulk of the opportunities out there, however, are, for example, a CEO job at one of 600+ Security companies, where the best exit one can hope for is becoming a feature in the larger offering of a Symantec or a McAfee. Not terribly inspiring, is it? Even though, there is a bit of money to be made, it certainly doesn’t qualify as a Legacy-building opportunity. Additionally, it’s fairly boring to do the Nth gig in the same narrow domain, even though the mantra in hiring is Domain Expertise. (I go out of my way, on a regular basis, to broaden the range of domains that I get to play with, and that’s what keeps me engaged, challenged, interested.)

So, what’s the point? The point is, you cannot blame 50-year old executives for choosing to play Golf or do Origami, over running an incremental business in a domain that they already know well, are bored by, and find positively uninspiring. Anyone who has been a CEO, knows, that trying to be one without oozing enthusiasm for the business is not sustainable. And with these little businesses, the CEO is effectively a glorified VP of Sales, another uninspiring little detail.

This is a contrarian and counter-intuitive point-of-view for VCs and Recruiters: Try to recruit experienced CEOs to your promising company by offering them opportunities to learn and grow as well, rather than just milking them for what they bring to the table based on their history. Look for people’s internal fire and ability to figure things out, and be fresh and creative, without being boxed in by a 25-year history in one narrow domain.

The Executive Resume . . . It Better Be Hot Stuff!

It’s been said that there’s really no significant difference between an executive resume and a standard one.

Wrong!

If you qualify to be job hunting at the executive level, there’s a whole other set of expectations that apply only to you. Of course, these expectations go way beyond your resume. But this key document has to position you in the mind of the decision-maker as someone who is ready to step in and hit the ground running.

In preparing an executive resume you want to remember that an employer is going to looking at you not for what you’ve done, but for what you can do going forward. In other words, it’s a big mistake to focus on what you used to do for someone else and hope that will sell you to your prospective boss.

For example, the common wisdom is that your executive resume has to lead off with a lively “objective” statement. Nothing could be further from the truth. An employer could care less what you hope to get out the job or where you see yourself going with your career.

Instead, you want to lead off with an exciting summary or positioning statement that succinctly and enthusiastically announces what you’ve got going for you that can make a difference to your new boss and his/her organization.

And make sure your executive resume is short. Never more than two pages no matter how extensive your career and work history has been. Make it easy to read with plenty of white space. The reason for this is that resumes are initially scanned in 50 seconds or less.

An executive resume is expected to do more than pump up your pride in your accomplishments. An employer is looking for very specific, quantified background information that clearly zeroes in on how you can answer the needs of a prospective employer.

In fact, we often recommend to our executive resume customers that they present a carefully crafted proposal instead of (or in addition to) a resume. The proposal identifies corporate concerns and then outlines how you will solve key problems faced by the organization.

This kind of approach carries a lot more weight with decision-makers than a routine executive resume because it shows that you’ve taken the time to learn something about the organization and its leadership. And you’re willing to demonstrate your skills in coming up with a solution to pressing issues.

Now, the good news is that there is an amazing executive job search system that can show you how to be face-to-face with senior decision-makers in a matter of days!

Executive Coaching Consultant Says: “Combat Confidence Is Answer for Burned-Out Executives”

Executive coaching consultant Judah Schiller learned all about ‘combat confidence’ as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), one of the world’s most elite fighting forces.

Now, the attorney-turned-career coach, speaker and Fortune 500 trainer draws on his experiences in the IDF to instruct corporate executives and professionals in the finer points of leadership, stress management and personal growth.

Following his military service, Schiller attended University of California Hastings College of the Law. After graduation, he joined the Silicon Valley office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, a prominent international law firm.

“Silicon Valley is one of the most high-pressure business environments in the world,” says Schiller. “My work in mergers and acquisitions gave me a unique opportunity to observe a frazzled corporate culture ripe for the abilities every IDF soldier masters from the inside out.

Combat Confidence, Schiller stresses, is not about killing, fighting or anger. “It’s about clarity, focus, empowerment and passion,” he says. “It’s about eliminating the stress, ambiguity and self-limiting talk that stands in the way of living a more balanced and productive life and career.”

In conjunction with speaking, corporate training and seminars, Schiller is an executive coaching consultant to clients all over the U.S. and abroad with whom he conducts one-on-one sessions either in person or by telephone. He also has live teleclasses, where participants dial into a conference line, including his free 60-minute Combat Confidence class. Other classes meet weekly for up to eight sessions.

“Whether by phone or in person,” says Schiller, “my focus as an executive coaching consultant is to help clients create meaningful change in a person’s their lives and provide a tangible plan of action for achieving positive results. If you dread the thought of going back to work on Monday, then you will definitely benefit from Combat Confidence,” says Schiller.

“You’ll also benefit if you’ve been in the same job for more than two years and you are still not experiencing the success and recognition you deserve.”

Why Leaders Always Follow Their Instincts

What separates a rich person from an ordinary person? The answer to that question is attitude. If one believes that the individual is capable of succeeding, it will happen. All it takes is some hard work and patience for everything to fall into place for that dream to become a reality.

This all starts on how an individual is brought up. This is nurtured from childhood in the forms of ideas and beliefs that one has learned through experience and has been taught by parents, peers and society. This develops later on in college until the person has already found work. It is a continuous process where one evolves and when the time is right, it will just come out and unleash its brilliance to everyone.

Industry leaders at times make strategic decisions that are not normal. These people sometimes take a gamble and hope that it works. Nobody thought that building a city in the middle of the desert will work. Years later, it is thriving with business which is known today as Las Vegas.

The main reason why leaders sometimes follow ones instincts is because something is calling on the person to do it. This is the similar to people who survived a plane crash and will do whatever it takes to make it out alive and be rescued. These people donít look at the short term but look at the potential of what it can become 5 to 10 years onwards. By sharing that vision with other people, it becomes a common goal which everyone will work hard to achieve.

Inventors create new things because these people see a need. If cable was not invented, there wouldnít be telephones and satellite communications to this very day. If everyone just sat back and relaxed, changes will not occur.

Sometimes a certain product has already been made. By looking around and checking if it can further be improved, one can refine it and be known as the person who did it.

The reason why leaders are always on the go is because these people have the passion for it. This love is not just to make more money but to make a mark that will be recognized by society for the contributions one has given to improve the way of life. By learning from the mistakes of others and knowing what to avoid, one can do better than how it was done before.

Becoming a good leader is learning from the success of other people. This can be conducted in trainings and seminars that the company or outside consultancies provide and case studies a person can study in school. This all helps prepare the person to ask the question of; what would one do given a situation?

There are many possible answers but there is only one answer that is correct. Sometimes that answer may seem illogical but it pays off. Some people call it a sixth sense and regard such people as visionaries. These special individuals who are here now are people way ahead of the times.

Everyone has the potential of doing something great. It doesnít have to be building a city out of nothing. It just means that sometimes one should rely on gut feel and given a situation think outside the box. It is this factor that makes one business one step ahead of the competition.

Opportunities donít happen very often. If one has a business and sees that acquiring this will make the company stronger, one should take it. The same thing goes in life. When a situation presents itself, someone should step up and express interest in it because if someone gets to it first, the person will just regret not taking it instead of being happy.

Everyone has instinct. One should just know how to use it and take the gamble. There is a saying that goes, no one will know unless it is tried. That is true because no matter what the outcome may be, at least the individual did the best that anyone in the position would do.

Should that endeavor be successful, one can proudly say it is done. On the other hand if it doesnít work out, one should not lose hope. Other oppurtunities will come which are much bigger and better than the latter.

10 Steps To Think Like A CEO

Golda Meir, the Russian born Israeli politician once said, “I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.” How very true. This is the perfect example for how a businessman must think. The lesson that this quote teaches is to think differently while still being within the limits of reason. It emphasizes the importance of time and time management. What are some other traits of successful businessmen and what are the steps one must take in order to cultivate your business aptitude? Here are a few pointers to help you develop your business thinking.

Step by Step Guide to Think like a Businessman

From the beginning, you must accept that there is no shortcut to success and hard work has no substitute.

1. Only worker bees don’t need to have cross-business knowledge: Gone are the days when businesses were insulated from global economic changes. At times when almost all the businesses are globally connected at some level, it is wise to gain cross business knowledge. For example, as an investment consultant, you can’t restrict your clients to investing locally just because you lack international knowledge.

2. Don’t daydream but do dream big: Achieving your dreams is possible unless you are daydreaming. It is OK to dream big; this is the way that goals get accomplished. Just don’t get caught up in trying to achieve the impossible. In other words, start out with smaller, attainable goals, and then work your way up to the bigger ones!

3. Each success or failure is your responsibility: Don’t cry over spilled milk. You are responsible for every success or failure in your business irrespective of whether or not your staff contributed.

4. Strike a Balance: Exhaustion will eventually wear you down physically and mentally. You need to find a way to balance your work and personal lives. You can’t allow one to thrive at the expense of the other.

5. Defy the nature: This is not exactly defying the truth but the general misconception. By the way, working against time is defying the nature.

6. Plan Strategically Like a Military Chief: Military chiefs plan every move meticulously without leaving anything to chance. You should do the same. You can expect to fail without a plan. Don’t let this happen to you. Failure to plan is the same thing as planning to fail.

7. Be courageous: Anticipate extremely complex situations that, of course, need bold actions. Accept that nothing great gets accomplished without risk. Be willing to put yourself out there and take some risk.

8. Accept challenges: When growth is the objective, challenges, both known and unforeseen, are inevitable. Face them, and as you move forward you will grow in confidence to face more of them.

9. Be patient: This is one greatest character a CEO possesses. Patience always pays off in the long run. Losing your cool at any stage, especially at the threshold of victory, will see your years of effort going right down the drain.

10.Sense Victory: Sensing victory beforehand is crucially essential. The awareness that you have come close to victory will often decide whether you make it or not. Without being able to sense victory, you may not notice the last step you probably have to take. This is what they call ‘pulling it off.’