Battling the Monsters.

As I write this post, it is Halloween morning. While the weather is definitely nasty outside, both of my children are filled with a sense of excitement as they think about wearing their costumes tonight. My son is dressing up as Darth Vadar and my daughter is dressing up as me. This should be interesting…

As Halloween approaches, many of us dig back into movie collections to watch some of the scary classics. There are typically some predictable elements to these movies – we can tell when the monsters are about to appear with changes in the background music and the monsters are typically impossible to destroy (until the very end of the movie).

We always tell our children that monsters are pretend. And they are, well sort of……

Haven’t we all had monsters and demons to battle throughout our lives to various degrees? These monsters have approached us in disguises, but can be identified as fears, poor habits and addictions once their disguises are removed. Just as in the movies, we are not able to destroy them right away – they keep coming back to us again, at all of the right times. The difficult thing about these monsters is that we don’t always hear the changes in background music, so it’s sometimes hard to know when they are about to pounce upon us.

And of course, these monsters must be slain before a happy conclusion can be reached and the final credits can roll – just as in the movies.

I’ve battled monsters many times in my life and continue to do so today.

Let me tell you about one of the monsters that I have overcome….

Back when I was in high school and my freshman year in college, I can remember being painfully shy – to the point where I didn’t like to ask a question in class even if my grade depended on it. This was definitely a fear that needed to be overcome, for the sake of my grades and overall happiness!

While I was not able to conquer this fear in high school, I did not give up. In fact, during my freshman year of college I made it a point to ask one question during a class each day (if I had a question). I didn’t have to ask it in the same class, but I did have to overcome my shyness one time each day. This was not an easy process for me!

And then, just as in the movies, there is a pivotal moment when battling the beast! One day, a classmate that I didn’t know came up to me after class and told me that she was glad I had asked my question in class. It turns out that she and a few others in class had the same question, but were not sure how to ask it. Further evidence that if we reach out to others, as the unknown classmate did with me, we may provide an impact to others that we never actually know about!

As time passed, my shyness diminished and confidence grew. That particular monster had been slain!

As we head into 2010, are there some fears, poor habits or addictions that you would like to remove from your life? Surely we all have something that may be getting in the way of personal happiness or achievement. Incidentally, if your answer is yes, then I’m right there with you.

Why not begin the upcoming year with a little less weight on our shoulders and a lot more satisfaction? The time to formulate your plan is now, because just as in the movies, monsters and demons take some time and persistence to overcome.

The time to take off our masks, put on our gloves and battle the “monsters of life” could not have come at a better time – right now!

Here’s to the battle – and to victory!

“So, Whom Do You Work For?”

We’ve all come across this scenario literally hundreds or thousands of times with only a change in the setting. Perhaps it occurs at a dinner party, your place of worship, or a rock concert. It may have happened in the grocery line, at your child’s school, or in an elevator.

While there are variations to the dialogue in this scenario, the paraphrase for the initial question is the same – “So, whom do you work for?”

Over the last couple of years, I’ve witnessed an increase in awkward moments as the recipient (let’s call him “John Doe”) may offer a long pause followed by the revelation that the he is without a job and looking for a new career on the horizon. I too find myself in this position, having declined the request to relocate to a city that offers substantially less in the way of opportunity for my family – my eyes are also fixed firmly on the horizon.

My personal advice to anyone who views the scenario I’ve described as awkward, is as follows:

Hold your head high and promote the most important company that you can promote – YOU, INC.

YOU, INC. is in the solutions business and is focused on providing value to its customer (the employer). Known as being proactive, positive and well tested in providing solid solutions, YOU, INC. has enjoyed a rich history of excellence and can be depended on now and in the future to inspire and propel its customers to the next level.

I’ve always believed firmly in promoting my personal brand along with the company that I’ve represented. By doing so, quality by association was reinforced for both the organizations that I’ve served, as well as for myself.

Your brand, communicated with strength, will always serves you well.

So, if you haven’t done so already, get in the game and be prepared to tell your story with confidence.

We find ourselves in challenging times. Once we’re able to see the challenges in the rear view mirror we’ll be much stronger for it. You, your brand and your future customers will benefit from the endurance test.

So, whom do you work for again?