Once in a while, we present Adulting.tv LIVE! Subscribe on YouTube to hear about future events, and share your questions about or suggestions for our next discussions!
Show Notes
Today, Harlan and Miranda are joined by Monica Louie to talk about it can change your life to be your own boss, and how to build up the courage and strength to make the change. What does it take to leave the everyday world of working behind and make it on your own?
We’ll take a look at Monica’s journey, and what you can do to be your own boss. Plus, Harlan and Miranda share a little bit about their own journeys as well.
If you want to conquer Facebook Ads, take a look at Flourish with Facebook Ads, Monica’s new course. Monica helps Adulting.tv with our own advertising, which has been very successful.
Monica Louie is a Facebook ads coach and strategist who helps ambitious online entrepreneurs grow their impact and their profits with the power of Facebook ads. She has worked on more than 100 Facebook ad campaigns, including several traffic campaigns with cost per click as low as $0.01 and conversion campaigns with cost per result as low as $0.30. Her online journey began in 2015 when she shared how her family paid off $120,000 of debt in two years on a single, middle-class income. When she’s not playing in the Power Editor, she can be found hiking in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, dog, and two kids.
One of the best ways to get ahead in your career and in life is to learn from someone else. If you can find a mentor, you have the benefit of wisdom and experience.
But how does one go about finding a mentor? And what can you do to maintain a good relationship with a mentor?
Concepts
How it can help your business and life to find a mentor.
How a mentor can help your career.
Advantages of an outside view.
The importance of learning from others and benefitting from their experiences.
Tips to help you find a mentor.
How to get referrals from your networ for a mentor.
How to use mentorship to network and find new opportunities.
Tips for developing a good relationship with your mentor.
What you need to know about choosing the right mentor for you.
As you prepare to find a mentor, this week’s DO NOWs can help. Start by identifying one area of your life you want to work on, whether it’s money, career, or your health. Pick one area of focus. Write down the names of people in your network who can help in your area of focus. Ask one of the people on that list to lunch or coffee.
This week, our listener question deals with concerns about using a mentor someone else picks out for you. We talk about taking a chance, and how to identify if the mentoring relationship is going to work early on.
Become a Friend of Adulting
To get Adulting delivered directly to your device, subscribe using Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or your app of choice.
Work’s going well. The economy is good. You’re killing it, and you want to move onward and upward. How do you get that next promotion? Here’s how you can bet you’ll get one more step up the ladder to your dream job.
Set yourself up for success.
Understand the value you bring to your team or organization and where you struggle. Self-improvement is noble, but there are some theories, such as Gallup’s Strength Finders, that say focusing on getting better at what you’re best at may be a better use of your time and energy.
Understanding your limitations and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Richard Branson said, “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” It’s, also, important to understand that consistently good, small steps may sometimes be better than risky leaps. Stretch yourself, but don’t tear yourself apart.
Don’t be entitled.
By all accounts, you may deserve the next raise or promotion. You may be the ideal candidate for a new job. You may, in fact, be the smartest person on your team or in your company. That said, there are multiple variables to running a business and sometimes the reasons for some decisions aren’t always visible to everyone.
That said, there are multiple variables to running a business and sometimes the reasons for some decisions aren’t always visible to everyone.
Coming across as entitled will make you a turn-off.
See the forest and the trees.
It’s great that you know what your long-term career goals are. It’s great to work with mentors who are doing what you want to do. Remember, though, that it’s often not a direct path from where you are to where you want to be. It may sometimes help to make lateral, and even backward career moves get to that long-term goal.
Remember, though, that it’s often not a direct path from where you are to where you want to be. It may sometimes help to make lateral, and even backward career moves get to that long-term goal.
Don’t suck up.
No one respects a suck-up and a suck-up is obvious to everyone. Especially if your goal is to be the leader of your current team someday, you’ll want the people who will eventually report to you to respect you.
Don’t be an asshole.
If you’re unapproachable and hard to work with, it’ll be more difficult to move up the corporate ladder. Of course, there are assholes everywhere, but business leaders need to lead, and it’s hard to lead if everyone hates you.
Don’t get too comfortable.
Live in the here and now, but don’t get stuck in it. In today’s economy, it’s helpful to get a broad range of experiences and knowledge. Learn what you can learn in a particular role and then move onto the next position, which may or may not be a step up.
If you stay in a job for too long, you may be “typecast” in that role and it’ll be hard to grow.
Be self-aware.
Life and business aren’t little league soccer. If you didn’t have a good year, don’t ask for a raise or promotion. If you come across as aloof and unaware of yourself, the value you add to your team and your performance, those who decide who moves up and on may decide you’re too out of touch.
Keep it business.
Keep your work life separate from your home life. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. No matter how friendly you get with colleagues and peers, keep it professional.
If you become too casual about work, you may come across as not suitable for moving up.
Show up.
It never ceases to amaze me the value of simply showing up. Show up to work regularly and when you’re supposed to show up.
Do your job. Network with colleagues and superiors. Have mentors. Always keep learning. Then, apply for jobs as often as you need to get the job you want.
Be persistent.
If you do everything else, then be persistent. Continue to show up and continue to apply for the jobs you want until you get the job you want.
Don’t expect others to have your dream.
You may be crystal clear on your career path and the job you want, but no one else will know unless you share your vision with them. Find confidants and mentors to share your dreams with and ask for help and guidance. If you don’t express what you want and work to get what you want, you won’t get it.
If you don’t express what you want and work to get what you want, you won’t get it.
Be courageous, not obnoxious.
Those who are brave enough to share their ideas and correct their superiors stand out as leaders. However, don’t come across as offensive or as a know-it-all. No one likes either trait, and neither will get you far.
When you’re right, be quiet. When you’re wrong, apologize.
No one cares about your drama.
Keep the drama at home. No one cares that your cat is sick or that your ex is a jerk. Personal days are just that – days to deal with your personal drama at home. Keep the drama in your personal life and not your work life.
Learn from yours and other’s mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. Not only is it wise to learn from your mistakes, but it’s also efficient to learn from others’ mistakes. Why repeat the same mistake someone else made when you can learn from it?
Some people make the same mistakes repeatedly. If you watch what’s going on around you, ask questions and learn from others, you’ll become better that much quicker and with fewer of your own mistakes.
Everything you do isn’t special.
Let me repeat, life and business aren’t little league soccer. Some people want to praise for everything they do. Refilling the coffee machine, as hard as it apparently is, isn’t cause for celebration. Organizing the team lunch, though helpful, doesn’t qualify you to be the boss.
Likewise, simply doing what you’re expected to won’t be enough to get you that next promotion. If you consistently achieve your job descriptions, that’s great. Congratulations! However, those who decide on who gets the next promotion may decide you’re perfect in your current role.
Be a solution.
Business is about seeing opportunities and overcoming challenges. Look for the possibilities and then propose ways to take advantage of them. Spotting problems is easy. Creating solutions is how you can turn a problem into an opportunity.
Ask for help.
You don’t have to go it alone in business. In fact, it shows great character when you can ask for help and then use the help that you’re given. No one knows all the answers, including the boss. The best leaders are those who can process the guidance they get from their teams and make the best decisions.
Ultimately, be the employee you want to have when you’re the boss. No one is perfect and no one expects you to never make a mistake. But, if you can learn from your mistakes, add value and be easy to work with, you’re likely to land that dream job sooner than you think.
Do you have any great tips to add? Have any of these tips helped you on the job? We’d love to hear about it in the #Adulting Facebook community.
Like what you’ve read?
Join other #adults who receive free weekly updates.
For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!
A resume is stale. Show who you really are. Learn how a blog can really make you shine. Read More...
So, is it time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile? You can do that, but it’s not enough.
No, really. Resumes are so 2009. LinkedIn profiles may be a little better.
What you need is a blog. Why? For starters, a blog is a more robust example of who you are and what you can do.
Improve and demonstrate your writing skills.
Good writing skills are essential for most jobs. Whether you’re a customer service representative, a journalist, or a team manager, your writing needs to be clear, accurate, and compelling – unless you’re a doctor.
Admittedly, far too much business today is done by email. That said, if your emails to clients are confusing or droll, you won’t be effective.
Rather than learn good writing skills on the job, learn at home. Your blog readers, who will likely be your friends and family at first, will let you know if your writing isn’t making sense. I won’t hear from friends or family for years, but I’ll get an email or direct message when they notice a mistake in my writing.
You don’t have to go solo, though, there are numerous online courses that you can take to help with your writing. Some are free. Some are cheap. A good writing course is worth it.
Improve and demonstrate your critical thinking skills.
Businesses are desperate for critical thinkers. Those who excel do more than regurgitate information. Hiring managers and business leaders want to know that their teams can manipulate and apply information and data in a way that’s useful and beneficial to the organization.
What better way to make sure you’re interpreting information accurately and coming to unique, valuable conclusions than to share your interpretations with the world on your blog and social media?
In 2011, when I posted my first blog post with my name on it, I had to work up the courage. I was concerned about what people would think. They might’ve thought my ideas were stupid, so I was prepared to rebut their rebuttals. They might’ve called out my writing, spelling and grammar skills, so I proofed, proofed and reproofed before I hit publish.
Hitting the publish button for the first time took me way too long. I’ve gotten much better in the last six years, and that’s a skill I can take to any job, whether I work for myself or someone else.
Show your personal brand.
Personal brands are gold these days. It’s harder for businesses today than generations past to market to and attract an audience. Unless it’s aired during the Super Bowl, a television commercial, like a resume, doesn’t carry the same weight as it once did. Therefore, businesses are looking for creative solutions to be recognized and to grow their buyers.
This is why a person with a solid personal brand is valuable to a business.
The best way to show potential business partners or employers your true self is with your blog. If an employer can scroll through even a few months of your blog, they’ll get a somewhat accurate understanding of who you are. Therefore, they’ll have a good idea if you can work together and, if so, of how you can work together.
Take, for example, a hair stylist. If a hair stylist, going through school, posts their work online and their work is consistently good or shows improvement, they can share their blog or portfolio with prospective employers and the hiring employer will have a good understanding of the candidate.
Build a following.
A personal brand backed by a substantial social media following is platinum. You don’t have to be an A-List YouTube star (if that’s such a thing). But, if you have an audience who likes and listens to you, you have leverage when business opportunities arise.
If that same hair stylist also posts their work on Instagram in addition to their blog, and they grow their Instagram following to one thousand, ten thousand, or more, they’re even more valuable to a prospective employer.
Also, the risk of failure for the stylist with the big Instagram following opening their own salon is less because they can guarantee a percentage of their followers will follow them to whatever salon they go.
Build a platform for your other skills.
In today’s economy, it’s good to have multiple streams of income. Employees no longer spend a lifetime working for the same employer. Even staying with the same job, within the same company for more than a few years is considered antiquated. The best way for employees to feel financially secure is to not rely on one source of income.
A blog is a great part-time job. Your blog can focus on your hobby, something entirely different from your day job. Or, it can complement what you do during the day.
Take, for example, someone who wants to be a nanny abroad. Thousands of people want to be nannies in different parts of the world. Being a nanny will be the prospective employee’s primary job. However, they could start a blog about how they went from the idea of becoming a nanny abroad to actually becoming a nanny abroad.
Blog readers can use the nanny’s blog as the template for how to become nannies themselves. Everyone can learn from the mistakes and successes of the nanny. The nanny can continue blogging about their experiences, what they like and don’t like, what they learn, and about other nanny jobs.
They could eventually monetize their nanny blog with ads and sponsored posts. They can become a resource for the nanny industry and write books, make videos, and become a speaker all because of a blog.
Have an accountability journal.
Another value of having a blog is that it can act as your accountability. If you’re striving to achieve a goal, such as paying off debt or losing weight, sharing your goals with the world makes it harder to quit when you don’t succeed as fast or as quickly as you’d like.
Likewise, people with the same or similar goals can act as your support, share their stories to help, and inspire you and others. Plus, everyone can learn from your trials and tribulations.
You can, essentially, create a community of people to help and uplift each other. Connecting with people because of your blog is even better than monetizing it.
Resumes are outdated.
Finally, resumes are static and stale. It’s easy to pad a resume and use the right words to make even the most mundane success seem incredible. Resumes won’t go away anytime soon because they’re an executive summary of your accomplishments.
A blog, though, has life and personality. It can demonstrate everything about you. To be sure, no recruiter or hiring manager will sift through every page of your blog and every video you create, but they don’t have to do all that.
Anyone considering hiring or working with you will easily and quickly get a sense of who you are from your blog. That’s why a blog is a nice complement to your resume.
So, don’t skip updating your resume or LinkedIn profile. But, complement them with a blog and stand out from others. Starting a blog isn’t as hard as you think and the value is more than worth it.
Have you seen success with a blog or have any questions about starting one? Let us know in the #Adulting Facebook community.
Like what you’ve read?
Join other #adults who receive free weekly updates.
For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!
Do you want a good job, but you’re unsure if college is the right move for you?
It’s possible to make good money without a four-year degree. With the right skill set and training, you can make a decent living and enjoy a fulfilling career without taking the “traditional” college route.
Here’s what you need to know if you aren’t sure that a four-year stint at university is the thing for you.
Concepts
College grads are struggling to find jobs right now.
We might be seeing a skilled labor shortage, and that means you have a chance to make good money without a four-year degree.
The importance of developing a marketable skill.
Ideas for jobs that don’t require a four-year degree but still offer decent pay.
Thoughts on apprenticeship programs.
Tips for keeping your skills up to date.
The place of community colleges and vocational education.
How to research career paths that can pay without a long time in school.
Why it’s important to continue to update your skills and re-certify.
Our DO NOWs are all about creating a plan to make good money without a four-year degree. Start with a skills inventory to see what you like to do, and what you’re good at. Next, research in-demand careers and see what matches your skills and abilities. Finally, look at what you need to do in order to enroll in the appropriate program.
This week’s listener question is about helping your parents reconcile to the fact that maybe you won’t go to college.
Become a Friend of Adulting
To get Adulting delivered directly to your device, subscribe using Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or your app of choice.
Newsflash: Nothing you do on social media is private!
We’ve known this since the early days when the careers of Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber launched and we were privy to way too much, way too often.
We pretend it’s not true, but we can’t pretend any longer because for us common-folk, the stakes can be really high. Your social media presence could get you fired or keep you from getting the job you want.
It may be that in the 1980s Steve Jobs gave the singer, Rockwell, a sneak peek into the iPhone and it inspired his ode “Somebody’s Watching Me”. Because today, yes, everyone and everything is watching you.
Whether you’re doing anything worth watching is in the eye of the beholder, and today there are people paid to behold you.
If you’re not online, you don’t exist. But don’t be too out there.
57% of employers are less likely to hire a job candidate they can’t find online.
54% have chosen not to hire a job candidate because of their online presence.
70% of employers use an online screening process to vet job candidates.
The takeaway is that it’s becoming more important to have an online presence and it’s even more important to manage that online presence well.
Be Social, behave yourself, and be smart.
You may not be as bad as The Tinkler or Mr. Chocolate, but these funny yet unfortunate social media blunders aren’t the only examples of why you might not land that next job.
Posts and pictures with drugs and sexual references certainly won’t help you become gainfully employed. What you may not know is that two-thirds of employers polled by Jobvite in 2014 said that job candidates with posts that include profanity, guns and alcohol might make them consider someone else.
Even more surprising is that while 44% of employers said posts about alcohol were concerning, 66% were concerned about poor spelling and poor grammar in social media posts.
What can you do?
Be secure, not sneaky.
The answer to the social media screening process is not to have no social media presence (double-negative intended, future boss) and it’s not to lock down your social media presence like Ft. Knox.
The best way to manage your online life is to set up all your social media accounts, except LinkedIn, as private as possible. Then, create a professional, well-managed, and public LinkedIn profile and make it so amazing they can’t ignore you. This way, prospective employers can find you, and they find what you want them to find.
Vegas rules don’t apply.
The internet isn’t like Vegas. Hell, even Vegas isn’t like Vegas.
Anything you do online can easily go public no matter how private your settings. People like to share on social media. They like to do screen shots to make edits or to share on different platforms. So, if you told the boss that you’re home with the flu, avoid having pictures taken of you lying by the pool.
Remember, too, as many a newbie celebrity farther back than Madonna and Playboy has learned, that if ever someone can make money off of you, they’ll probably try! So, in the way, distant future when you may be a big name for yourself, that thing you thought no one would know – won’t be found out because you didn’t do it.
If you don’t have anything nice to say…
…then, don’t say it at all. This rule is like The Golden Rules’ slightly silver sister. In an age when even the slightest off-color remark can get someone fired from a job or treated like a pariah, don’t say anything negative about anyone, ever.
You may feel justified bashing this politician or that public figure and they probably deserve it. However, the person who may be able to get you the job you want may like that politician or that public figure and you may have just strained your relationship with them, if it ever existed. There are people paid to criticize people. If you’re not one, let them fight the good fight on your behalf.
Remember your grandmother.
Or, your mom. Or, Jesus. Or, whoever’s opinion you most cherish. Before doing, sharing, or saying something on social media, first consider what this most important person might think before going through with your plan.
If you’d feel embarrassed if they saw or read your brazen post or share, then a prospective employer might see it as a reason to not hire you or worse, “like” you.
For some reason, it’s easy to forget that on social media the whole world may be watching. What we think is private, funny, cool or justified may not be in that beholder’s eye. Until that day when you no longer need or want a job, keep that in mind.
Like what you’ve read?
Join other #adults who receive free weekly updates.
For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!
We’re all replaceable. But what if you could be less replaceable? Get your shit together and show your employer that you really are someone they don’t want to lose. Read More...
With the tough job market and concerns about student loan debt ratcheting up the worry levels, it makes sense to think about how to make yourself indispensable at work.
That way, when it’s time for lay offs – or even if you want a promotion or raise – you are more likely to be considered a valuable company asset.
If you’re trying to figure out how to make sure your employer finds you necessary, here are several strategies to try:
1. Develop strengths valuable to your company.
Pay attention. What skills does your company value?
A surefire way to become indispensable at work is to have strengths that your employer relies on.
It’s not enough just have a valuable skill, though. You also need to be one of the few people who possess it. Figure out what your strengths are, and then determine how they can translate into necessary skills that are somewhat rare at your company.
Once you do that, they’ll never want to let you go.
2. Cultivate a good attitude.
The better your attitude, the better you are for the company. True, positivity can’t make up for a lot of things, but it does go a long way.
If you are positive, see opportunities, and are good for morale, your employer will likely decide that you’re necessary. When it comes down to a choice between letting go of one of two employees, and one of you is a downer, it’s the downer that is usually out, all other things being equal.
Don’t be a downer.
3. Stay current with technology and skills.
If you’re up-to-date on all the latest technology and best practices, you are more valuable to your employer.
Plus, it can be enriching and a good way to invest in yourself to stay current with technology and keep your skills up to date.
Show that you are interested in remaining relevant in your field. As you continue to expand your skill set and ensure that your company stays ahead of the curve, you’ll make yourself indispensable at work.
4. Focus on tasks that matter.
It’s tempting to bang out a bunch of easy tasks to look productive. But almost anyone can do the easy stuff.
Instead, look to accomplish things that matter. They might not be super-easy things, but they should have a bigger impact. If you develop a reputation for doing things that matter you will be more likely to be considered indispensable.
5. Go the extra mile.
You’d think this goes without saying: go the extra mile. However, it often does need saying.
Is there a way you can add extra value? Do you go above and beyond?
When you can show that you do more than is expected, or if you can add an extra twist, you are seen as a valuable resource. You want to be seen as someone who will continue to help move the company forward, rather than someone who does the bare minimum.
It doesn’t mean you have to work overtime every week or let work take over your life. But if you can add that extra bit to your work, you will be more valuable overall.
6. Be a team player.
Are you a helper? When others know that they can come to you for a little extra help, you are likely to be seen as dispensable at work.
Collaboration is increasingly becoming a major part of doing business. If you can’t play nice with others, your employer is likely to see you as a liability, rather than an asset.
Do your best to help the team and show that you are willing to move forward with goals. Stay focused on the team goals and be ready to help the company, and your bosses will feel much better about keeping you around.
7. Show reliability.
One of the best ways to make yourself indispensable at work is to be reliable. If you say you’re going to do something, can you be trusted to do it?
Meet your deadlines and be someone that others trust. Avoid over-promising. Do your best to accurately estimate what you can accomplish – and when you can reasonably get it done. Then, if you can’t meet your obligation, let someone know ASAP.
However, if you are constantly late and unable to keep up, that could indicate an issue in how you manage expectations. Review how you do things and what you can realistically get done. Underpromise and over deliver on a consistent basis, and you’ll gain a reputation for reliability.
8. Build important relationships.
Sometimes it really is about who you know. And it’s not about sucking up to your boss’s boss.
Instead, it’s more about building relationships with people important to your company. Is there a client that you could connect with and become point person with?
Can you help build a partnership? Can you introduce someone as a consultant to help solve a problem?
Think about the relationships you can enhance in work and business. As you build these relationships with your co-workers, supervisors, clients, and others, you will be seen as an integral part of the workplace, and someone to keep around.
9. Make your supervisor’s job easier.
If you really want to be indispensable at work, make your supervisor’s job easier. Do what you can to pitch in, help out, and solve problems. When your supervisor can trust you, s/he is more likely to go to bat for you.
Your supervisor knows what you do to help them with work. When they look good, and your efforts are part of the reason, they know it. Supervisors want to keep people around when they help them look good.
As a team player and as someone who shows skills and abilities that can help your company, you can become indispensable at work.
Like what you’ve read?
Join other #adults who receive free weekly updates.
For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!
A promotion. More money. All your problems are over, right? Actually … No. Depending on how you treat money, your next promotion could actually make you poor. Read More...
It’s tough for many of us to accept, but for most of us, our financial security is not contingent on how much money we earn.
It’s not about how much money comes in but how much money goes out. For most of us, our lifestyle increases with increases in our income – and even increases in our available credit.
When you tie those increases in income to increases in spending, pretty soon you have this problem: Could a promotion make you poor?
Learn from others’ wins and losses.
How many celebrities and athletes who earn millions of dollars a year have we heard have gotten into financial trouble?
From MC Hammer to Johnny Depp to Lenny Dykstra to Marion Jones, the world is full of millionaire income earners with no money in their bank accounts. A couple of years ago, it was reported that about 80% of retired NFL players go broke.
On the other end of the spectrum, Oseola McCarty, a former washerwoman from Hattiesburg, Mississippi bequeathed her $150,000 fortune to the University of Southern Mississippi. At the time, she was its most famous benefactor. That $150,000 in 1999 would equal $220,957 today.
To be sure, $150,000 or even $220,957 isn’t millions of dollars. But considering McCarty’s low-wage paying job and the fact that 47% of Americans today can’t come up with $400 cash, that’s a solid amount of savings.
Likewise, consider Ronald Read, a former gas station employee and janitor. When Read died at 92 in 2014, he was worth an estimated $8 million. Read was an avid and consistent investor and lived frugally, way more frugally than I ever would. But he’s another example that it’s not about how much money you earn. It’s what you do with the money you make.
With your next raise or promotion, will you do better than McCarty or Read?
Know if you’re on a cycle of rinse, recycle, repeat.
Most of us go about making a living instead of making a life.
We go to school to get the best job we can to make the most money we can and then, for any number of reasons, spend all the money we can and then spend more money than we have. Despite each promotion and each raise, we eventually find ourselves living beyond our means.
Property rights usually relate to law. However, it’s logical to conclude that if we give up our property rights by financing from the cradle to the grave everything we would otherwise own, our affluence will suffer the same negative consequence as if we had no legal rights to ownership.
If everything from music to television to mortgages to education is on a small, affordable monthly payment, when do we stop making payments and start amassing wealth? What do we pass to our heirs for our family’s long-term financial security?
Jim Rohn said, “Once in a while, somebody says to me, ‘Boy, if I had a million dollars, I’d never work another day in my life.’” He goes on to say, “That’s probably why the good lord sees to it they don’t get their millions.”
With your next raise or promotion, how long will it be until you’re back in the same financial position?
Know why you should do well.
I read and listen to a bunch of personal finance information, and it astounds me how I keep returning to the same conclusion. Financial success, even life, personal, career – any success – is contingent on your purpose or your ‘why.’
As I’ve shared here, my husband and I amassed $51,000 worth of credit card debt – despite knowing better and notwithstanding the fact that we could do better.
At the time (and like many people today), we were unsatisfied with many aspects of our lives. It’s important to acknowledge that our economy is designed to keep us feeling unsatisfied.
Television, the internet, Facebook, movies, magazines and everything else tells us that we need more of this, that, and the other thing to feel happy, feel good, be liked, or be like someone else. When everyone in the neighborhood is drinking this Kool-Aid, it’s hard not to take a sip.
For this reason, the best thing we did to turn our financial situation around was to decide what we most want and not what we think we should want or what others want for us.
When we realized our most important goals, everything came into perspective, and we could manage our financial lives accordingly. It’s because we know our purpose that we’ve turned our $51,000 deficit into a $700,000 surplus and now work for ourselves.
Learn how you can do better, even without a raise or promotion.
How do you figure out your most important goals? For us, we did a lot of personal reflection and had lengthy discussions about what we most want in life. Everything we said was put on the witness stand and cross-examined until our purpose came down to three things. For you, it may be more or less, but if it’s too much, it’s too broad.
Next, we assessed what it was that was blocking us from our primary goals. Everything from not paying attention to our cash flow to being insecure came up.
Finally, we decided what it was we were willing to do to overcome those blockers. This step helped us determine how committed we were to change our situation and lay the foundation for a strategy.
Just as climbing the corporate ladder won’t solve all your problems, your next promotion or raise won’t make you rich. In fact, your next promotion might make you poor. What happens when you get a raise or promotion and you spend right up to it? What happens when you have a vision of the things you “should” have with your fancy new job title?
It’s easy to get caught up and overspend because we have the idea that’s what you do when you get a promotion. But that thinking just puts you back where you were – or even makes things worse financially.
When we realize that it’s not external factors or our circumstances that dictate our success, but our choices and behaviors, that can be better than any promotion.
Like what you’ve read?
Join other #adults who receive free weekly updates.
For a limited time you’ll receive our new book, The Best Bank Accounts for Adults, when you sign up!
Once in a while, we present Adulting.tv LIVE! Subscribe on YouTube to hear about future events, and share your questions about or suggestions for our next discussions!
Show Notes
Join us as we talk to Nick True from Mapped Out Money. He talks about how networking helped him find great opportunities to get started in a great career and lead a fulfilling life. He offers great insight into confidence, how to become comfortable talking to people, and how to practice networking. We also discuss networking in college vs. networking in the “real” world and establishing different networks.
Watch the video, recorded live, above, or listen to just the audio using the player below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast!
Did you nail the resume and end up being called up for an interview? That’s great. But now you need to make sure you crush it in the job interview.
From making a good impression to following up effectively, this episode is all about how to impress during a job interview. Increase your chances of clinching the deal and taking the next step in your career.
Concepts
How to prepare for the interview ahead of time.
Common questions you should be ready for during a job interview.
How to conduct research on the company.
Why you need to think of good questions to ask the interviewer.
The importance of showing up early.
Tips for making a good impression during a job interview.
How to be yourself and still show you are the right person for the job.
Reasons to follow up after the job interview.
How to use a thank-you note.
This week’s DO NOWS focus on preparing for how to act during a job interview. We talk about working through common interview questions, working on a five-year plan, and figuring out what success looks like for you.
Our listener question addresses what to do when interviewers ask questions during a job interview that you find stupid, like “What tree are you most like?” We go over possible answers, preparing ahead of time, and why that could be an indication that perhaps you don’t want the job after all.
Become a Friend of Adulting
To get Adulting delivered directly to your device, subscribe using Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or your app of choice.
![[B037] Boost Your Confidence to Be Your Own Boss ft. Monica Louie](https://adulting.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/monica-louie-1200x628.jpg)
![[A088] It Was Mentor to Be: Supercharge Your Success by Talking](https://adulting.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/a088-find-a-mentor-1200x628.jpg)
![[A084] College Dropout: Make Good Money Without a Four-Year Degree](https://adulting.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/a084-make-good-money-1200x628.jpg)
![[B026] What Some College Graduates Know About Networking That You Don’t, ft. Nick True, Mapped Out Money](https://adulting.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nick-true-1200x628.jpg)
![[A076] Crush It: Impress During a Job Interview](https://adulting.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/a076-1200x628.jpg)
