When we grow up we tend to get told that the world is the way that it is and that our life should go as follows...go to school and get good grades, go to college, get a nice job, get married, have kids, save a little money to retire etc... I call BS!

Life doesn't have to be this way. We don't need to stick to the status quo of a universal plan. We can write our on lives, our on path. Instead of going through the motions of being lost and confused about what we want to do in life, let's take...

There was a time when career paths were clearly defined. If lucky, you'd be hired on with a good company and progress to higher levels at the appropriate times. Ultimately, you'd retire having dedicated your prime years to the company.  Those days have long disappeared. It's no longer about company loyalty but about loyalty to self interests. The last two generations of employees have focused more on better compensation and job satisfaction. While employers have focused their attention...

Before you know it we'll heading into the end of the year and people will be creating their vision and goals for the new year. One of the most overlooked ways to help accelerate those vision and goals is to create a personal brand that will support you and aligns with your goals.

When you think of a traditional business plan, you probably think of pages of text, graphs and confusing stats and numbers. You know, the kind of thing you’d nervously push across the desk to a bank officer in hopes of securing a loan.

Similarly, a career plan that list the results of job searches, contacts, upcoming interviews, and employment possibilities may also make your eyes glaze over.

I know these things are important but neither seem exciting right? And what I know to be true...

I could never do something like that.

Oh, I'm not that talented.

You need years of experience to do that job.

No one would ever hire me to do that.

I'm just not good with money.

Some people are just born to succeed.

I'm too old to wear something like that.

I bowed out because there are much more talented people doing the same thing.

Any of these statements sound familiar?

These are only a few of the comments I've heard my clients say over the years. Before I was trained in cognitive behavior...

It used to be that your identity was wrapped into your job. In fact, I believe people still suffer from that today. When you're identity is tied to your title, job or career you fail to see the possibility of other options. You fail to see the breadth and depth of all you have to offer. You also fail to see the importance of building a brand independent of your job.

In case you're struggling with this concept, repeat after me....."I'm more than my job!"

We live in a binary society that...

Have you heard of the Japanese concept called "Ikigai?"  Translated it means "the reason for being" or as we like to say...your purpose.

It's believed that when you discover your ikigai you'll find your purpose in life. I learned about this concept in the context of discovering my own gifts and how best to serve my clients by ensuring that I'm not only giving them what they need, but doing what I love. More importantly I learned the questions to ask to gain that clarity.

This model...

Are you one of the 85% of people in the world who dreads Monday morning?? Everyone, at one time or another, has been unhappy in their job. In fact, if you've gone through your life without hating at least one job, then you've lived a charmed life.

One of the driving forces behind my becoming an employment attorney almost 30 years ago, was a horrible job. It was actually a horrible boss. But it motivated me to go into a career where I could protect the rights of others similarly situated. Over...

There's something pretty loaded and powerful in the question, "What do you do?" The response, however, is even more curious because have you noticed the answer always starts with, "I am..." followed by some societal approved profession.

How do I know this? It's how we've been conditioned to answer that question. In a matter of a few seconds people know about your interest, educational background, social standing, and income potential. I've proudly proclaimed that "I was" a lawyer, associate...