Create Your Own Success

Troy, Good story about work ethic and entitlement, different approaches to hardship and success. There are times you have to suck it up, do whatever job you need to pay those bills while you keep looking to find or create that dream job. Jason's story is a great example of how you can take a negative, make it into a positive. And love that Danny's dubbed Mark, Gini and Ingrid the Three Musketeers.

Wow Troy, loved this story and it truly symbolizes so much that's happening right now all around us. It's in times of struggle and trials that were able to see the true fortitude (or lack thereof) of a man or woman. Yes, the economy stinks. Notwithstanding, there are people getting rich in this economy. There are people advancing along their career path in this economy. And there are also heck of a lot of people collecting an unemployment check. Telling times my friend, and a telling article you've posted here as well. Great work.

Marcus

Getting laid off is what fueled my fire to start my own agency. 4 years later we are going strong. Sure, it was hard to sit in the HR department and take the news. I was crushed, I had a 4 year old and a wife to explain the news to...I was really scared.

But I was also kinda motivated, not kinda REALLY motivated to show them that I could succeed. I remeber my boss saying social media was a fad when I told him my plans for the future. He was laid off soon after me and now the company I worked for is a client!

1 word - perseverance

Such a great topic to chat about, and loving the comments from the Three Musketeers above (hi Ingrid, Gini and Mark!) :)

I recall being laid off years ago, and going to work as a night security guard in a crappy industrial complex that was renowned for having break-ins. I was scared shitless doing my rounds, but what made me do it was simple - I had rent to pay and mouths to feed.

When you break it down to the people that count on you, there's no other choice - get off the bus, dig your fingers in and get dirty if you need to. There are plenty of jobs out there - all you have to do is stop your pride from preventing you getting that next paycheck.

Great post, mate.

Good word here Troy - it's been my experience that opportunities come to those who purposefully put themselves in positions for opportunities to find them. There are no entitlements - life owes you nothing. Every resource is made available to those who have a vision for what they want and the courage, work ethic, and kick-ass attitude to take them.

The rest are wimps! (haha - just kidding sort of...)

You always get me all jacked up!

Troy - I love this and think many people should take heed, even if not unemployed. Every little bit that helps you stand out, even at your current job, is good.

But one thing I think you've left out here is the business owner. Even though we can't get fired from our jobs, we are fired by clients and, sometimes, that's just as bad. I will always remember the feeling of having four clients "fire" us during the 2008 holiday season. They all said the same thing - the economy sucks - and they all sent letters certified mail (didn't even call). I remember agonizing over what to do when I got back to the office in January.

So, no matter your job, your position, or your value, we're all indispensable and have to always be thinking "what if."

I think I just wrote my blog post for Accuconference from this.Thank you. :)

Troy,

This piece makes such a strong statement and rings true in so many ways.

When we have it "good" and all of a sudden are faced with a life changing situation where our assets and lifestyle are no longer as great - we often begin to sulk and eventually fall into the pity pit. WE do nothing about it because we often can't accept that fact.

We expect that people, our friends, our contacts and connections will come knocking on our door, for after all - it's what we deserve right? It's what we're owed. We were doing well before and people should be running after us - so we sit and wait for them to fight over us.

It would be beneath us to take on another job that doesn't pay as well or that doesn't allow us to keep and maintain the Porsche, the loft, the traveling, the spending, the grandiose lifestyle that we so enjoy and got use to.

And then comes the reality check - the rude awakening. When we realize that nobody is gonna beg us to come work for or with them - that the economic situation is not what it use to be and that changes are in order.

It's you that has to knock on doors. It's you that has to open the rolodex and start making calls. It's you that has to send out your resume and cover letter all over again. And it's you that has to convince them and then show them why they need you and how you could make their company better, their earnings higher, their clients happier...and so on.

In life you get what you work for, what you fight for and what you deserve. And at times, you have to learn to put your pride aside - at work and at home. It's hard to do, but it'll make your life easier.

I believe that no one is sheltered from problems. There are ups and downs and money comes and goes. It is how we deal with the change and how we react to it that will determine our happiness and even our sanity.

It is now how low you fall, but rather how your rise back up when you do. Make something happen and it will.

One of my favorite quotes is from Tom Landry. My coach high school coach taught it to me and to this day I remember it and believe every word of it.

"The quality of a man's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence."
Basically the more you give and the more you do - the more you get.

I was so set on not leaving you a novel-lengths comment here - but it seems I've failed miserably lol. I hope it was at least worth the read. And yes, Im sure I could have turned it into a post of my own as a piggy back to yours here, but...

Thanks for sharing this piece Troy. It's a good reminder and maybe even a small wake-up call :).

Have a great weekend.
Cheers

PS - Mabrouk (congrats in Arabic) on your new blog design. I much prefer it now and I think it looks great :).