You might not know it, but this is Simplify Your Life Week (August 1-7). With the economy as rocky as it’s been for the past couple years, many of us have been simplifying our lives whether we like it or not. Fewer expensive indulgences. More time at home. Personally, I like it (mostly).
In the past, I often thought, "Life is pretty good, but once I have enough money to buy X, it’ll be perfect." Yeah, right. That’s the old carrot-and-stick dilemma. The carrot you’re chasing just keeps advancing along with you. And things keep getting more and more complicated.
A lot of people seem to be deciding that simpler is better. Look at our reality TV preferences; 20 years ago, reality shows were all about the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Today, we love seeing people sell their possessions on Pawn Stars, and watching the folks on Operation Repo take back unpaid luxury cars, boats, and motorcycles from former Jones (or Kardashian) keeper-uppers. It’s as if our collective thinking has changed from, "Waah! I deserve an extravagant lifestyle, too!" to "Hah! At least I’m not that bad… (yet)!"
What’s this got to do with your job search? Here’s where I see the connection: When it comes to employment, the rules have changed, the promises have been broken, and there are no more guarantees. So it’s up to each of us to make some simple (not necessarily easy, but simple) decisions about how we define success for ourselves, and what type of employment situation will help us achieve it. And then, we need to take the steps to create that reality.
Entrepreneur Jim Rohn said, “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” So I hope we can all celebrate Simplify Your Life Week (and beyond) by figuring out the few simple disciplines that we can do each day to move us closer to our own brand of success.
Has a layoff or an extended job search caused you to simplify, reevaluate, or redefine your employment expectations? Please leave a comment below.
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