Move On and Move Up ...by Bill Knell
The idea of competition has been well hidden in the politically correct world we are all forced to live in, but it's alive and well. Someone is going to win and it might as well be you! However, first you have to resolve the various issues that may be clouding your vision for a successful career.
Film dramas from the 1950's and 1960's often painted the suited American Worker as an office ant that was merely a cog in a larger machine. Every worker was characterized as being stuck in some impossible rut, being hassled by the boss and estranged from his or her family because of the job. This was the beginning of the idea that work is a bad thing.
More then a few nations have become prisoners of their own social politics. They have shorter workdays, shorter workweeks and economic problems that get worse every year. Why? Because they have bought into the lie that there is something wrong with working hard and becoming a success.
It's no easy thing to balance time with loved ones and work hours. However, it's wrong to believe that one has to win and the other loses. We all have to work and there is just no getting around the fact that those who put out the extra effort will win the prize. The key to balancing family and work is to make sure that you are not the only one trying to pull off a successful balancing act.
I cannot tell you how many times I have come across people who are made to feel guilty because they have to work. Wives, husbands, partners and children do what they want, when they want, then chide their better half or parent for spending too much time on the job. What about them?
When's the last time your other half planned an evening out, made reservations or did anything other then complain? What about the kids? Are they willing to give you and your other half a break so you can go out? Would the world end if your older children gave up a trip to the Mall or a sports practice for a family evening out or some babysitting duty?
If family or partners aren't your problem, perhaps you are? There are all sorts of personal issues that can easily overcome us if we allow it. The idea is to identify the problems we have or mistakes we're making and correct those behaviors. If you're trying to start a career, this is an essential step. Let's start with education.
More then a few people linger too long in the world of academics because they have been told that the real world is just too tough to master without the proper educational credentials. A better alternative is going to school while you go to work. Running back to school to avoid a job search or potential employment is a common and often foolish mistake.
The real world is no harder or easier then school, but it's certainly more rewarding. At some point, you have to decide to move on and start your working life. Unless you are independently wealthy, you are going to school on the government dime. Those loans have to be paid back, a fact that is easily forgotten until the notices start arriving in the mail. Like any other financial decision, the amount you spend on educational loans has to pay off for you in the end. One advantage to going to school while you work are the numerous tuition rebate, assistance and full payment plans that many companies now offer.
Once you are working, the key to getting ahead is moving up. If you do not move up, someone else will move you out. Work is all about competition and that's not a bad thing. The key to winning that competition is attitude monitoring. Most of us worry more about our physical health then we do our mental health. It is for that reason that so many people find themselves enslaved to anti-depressants and designer attitude drugs. They cannot control their attitude, so they allow a drug to do it.
Before you run to Doctor Feelgood for your next script, take an inventory of your feelings. It is not what makes us feel good, but what causes you to feel bad that we often ignore. Things like guilt, unresolved conflicts and regret often eat at us like internal parasites and refuse to allow us the privilege of enjoying our lives. Well, unless you want to spend the rest of your life as a human pill bottle, you have to confront these matters and move on.
Take a mental photo of yourself. Look for the things that are making you feel bad and seek to resolve them. It's true that we cannot control everything in our lives, but we can fight back against the kind of external forces that threaten our happiness. Left to themselves, things like guilt, unresolved conflicts and regret can lead to unhappiness, depression and all sorts of bizarre phobias and abnormal behaviors.
Once you have your mental house in order, become a master of your self. The most successful people in the world are those that predetermine their behavior. Decide in advance how to respond to negative people, comments, insults and confrontations. This will prevent anyone who tries to mow you over from doing so. It will also send a message to those you work or do business with. They will understand that you are a person in charge of yourself and a force to be reckoned with.
The whole concept behind competition is to win. However, everyone has his or her own way of doing that. Do not try to copy someone else's success by being them. Learn from others, but never try to duplicate exactly what they do. Develop a plan for success based on your own positive attributes and strengths. Once you get rid of the negative things in your life, learn to manipulate the positive side of yourself and move up.
As a professional writer Bill accepts various paid writing assignments. Articles on most any topic are his specialty. He is also a non-fiction ghost writer for people who have an idea or story to tell without the skills to create a submittable book manuscript. Sorry, he does not accept term paper or technical writing assignments. Bill can be contacted on
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