Job Hunting: Price Yourself Like a House

I saw this article and thought those of you looking for a job right now would enjoy it... Happy job hunting! Leanna Fredrich, Life Coach


Job-seekers want to know: How do I price myself in this erratic job market? If I set my sights too high in the compensation department, I'll lose out on opportunities. If I price myself too modestly, I could leave money on the table—and worse, I could lose credibility with employers who won't value my skills any more highly than I value them myself.

The most common mistake job-seekers make is to price their skills based on their current or most recent comp level. If you're in a high-paying industry or company, your past or current salary could be the perfect measure of what you're worth in the market. But if you're not—if you've come from or are still working in one of the many companies paying below-market salaries—you'd be shooting yourself in the foot by relying on your past employer's assessment of your value. You can do a better job of pricing yourself, than that.

Homeowners use the Web site Zillow.com to gain intelligence about their house's value. Zillow uses tax records and home-sale data to arrive at house-by-house pricing estimates (called "Zestimates") that help homeowners make a value argument when nearby comparables are hard to come by. What's great about Zillow is that the longer the database continues to be populated with new datapoints, the more accurate it becomes.
Where to Look

Job-seekers need a Zillow of their own, to price their skills against the market and leave behind the tired "what my last company paid me" measure. Here are few tools to help the comp-befuddled get a sturdy comp number to guide them in their job-search travels:

• GLASSDOOR.COM is something like Zillow for working people. It uses real-person input to arrive at salary estimates for various jobs as well as reviews of specific employers.

• PAYSCALE.COM is another terrific source for job-by-job salary information, factoring into details such as your location, the school you graduated from, and how long you've been on the job. To receive your free report, you'll have to wade through a spammy page or two hawking online degree programs, but the information is good to have, whether you're job-seeking or just checking your market rate.

• SALARY.COM is the hoariest of the online salary-data sites, with good information based on Zip Code and job title.

To supplement the online pay-level data you collect, it's a great idea to check in with a local headhunter or two to make sure your numbers fit the market and those of other candidates with similar backgrounds to yours.

Once you've got a number you are comfortable with, you can start to talk confidently with employers about your salary expectations. And you must: Don't plow through the interview process without having a brass-tacks compensation chat by the end of your second interview round. You've got something to sell, and you've got to share its cost, the same way your Realtor posts the listing price of your home on the multiple listing service. When you're selling a house, you can't take a buyer through the place, chat about the neighborhood, and then ask "What do you think it's worth?" You've got to name your price up front. It's the same way in a job search—coyness about compensation is not part of the deal.

Often, caught up in the "they like me!" vortex of a fast-moving interview stream, candidates think this way: "I really like what I'm learning about the job; I just hope it pays enough. I won't bring it up until they do, so that I don't seem too greedy." This is a bad way to proceed, because it sets you up to take a job that doesn't pay your rate. Once you've invested time and emotional energy in the selection process, you're at risk of making a bad decision rather than walking away. That's bad for your long-term earnings as well as your credibility.
Don't Play Cat-and-Mouse

Since you've taken the time to determine your market value, you've to state it—proclaim it, in fact—when you and a potential employer begin to discuss a job offer in earnest.

Some job-seekers play hard-to-get with their salary expectations, waiting for an employer to name its target pay range for a position. They do this so that in case their target pay requirement is $110K and the company has budgeted $115K for the position, once the company lays out its pay scale the candidate can position himself to collect every dime of it—forestalling the risk that the "extra" $5K will be left on the table.

In my view as a former HR exec, this is silly. The odds that your well-researched salary level is far off the mark are low, and the odds that it's off the mark on the low side are even lower. And besides, if you ask for $110K and get it, what's to be unhappy about? If your employer is the sort that values talent, all the better for you—there should be promotions and bonuses in your future. Rather than play cat-and-mouse with an employer over the issue of "who speaks first," I'd advise a job-seeker to say, at the second interview or the phone call inviting him to the second interview, "Shall we talk about comp ranges now? I'd hate to waste your time or mine if we're not in the ballpark with respect to the salary level."

With that entree, ninety-nine and a half out of 100 company reps will ask you, "So, how much are you looking for?" You'll name your number, and let the recruiter or hiring manager react. If you've done your homework, you shouldn't be far out of line from the company's own expectations. And if you're too rich for their blood, you wouldn't want to work there anyway.

Liz Ryan is an expert on the new-millennium workplace and a former Fortune 500 HR executive. www.lizryan.com

Do You Have a Tribe?

"Finding your tribe can have transformative effects on your sense of identity and purpose. This is because of three powerful tribal dynamics: validation, inspiration, and what we'll call here the "alchemy of synergy." Ken Robinson

"Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are." JC Hare and A.W. Hare

"Each person has an aptitude born with them. Do your work." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thinking it Through...

One of the things I love to do in my Coaching practice is to help people find their strengths...those unique ways of thinking and creating that they were born with. I have been reading a book called The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. One of the concepts in this book that I had not thought much about was the importance of finding your tribe. When you are with your tribe you feel inspired to create, take chances and most of all you feel "at home." Even if your passion requires a certain amount of solitude you still need a tribe. Martha Beck, a self-help author, has a wonderful group of women writers who she meets with on a regular basis. Freeman Dyson, the physicist says that when he is writing he needs to be alone but when he is actually doing science he welcomes interaction with others. "Up to a point you welcome being interrupted because it is only by interacting with other people that you get anything interesting done."

Perhaps you can even discover your passion by looking for the people you love to be around. By noticing their interests and strengths it will be a sign pointing to your own strengths and passions. Watch for the people and activities that fill you with energy and life. So here's to filling your life with your passions and strengths and having a tribe to keep you inspired!

Challenge:

1. Who belongs to your tribe? What are their characteristics and passions?


2. What are the activities you do where you feel most like yourself?


3. When did you last lose track of time during an activity?


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

Do You Chomp or Savor Life?

"Each moment is a place you've never been." Mark Strand

"The challenge is in the moment, the time is always now." James Baldwin

"Curiosity is in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last." Samuel Johnson

Thinking it Through...

As most of you know I just finished my first product for this year, "The Secrets to Discovering Your Passion-filled Career" audio workshop. I have been teaching this workshop for years and had always dreamed of having it in a format so those who were unable to come to my workshops in Denver could still have the information , do the work on their own and experience the joy of finding their passion. So now I'm done! I had a moment of excitement and off I went to schedule the steps I needed to take to create my next product. Then this weekend I read a wonderful chapter in the book "Mastering Life's Energies" by Maria Nemeth. The chapter was about using the energy of enjoyment. Maria talked about the difference between consuming, guzzling, chomping through life and the beauty of enjoying life. It soon became clear that I have been chomping more then enjoying! This little chapter reminded me to take the time to celebrate, to savor. Learning how to enjoy life is a skill.. One that needs to be practiced and developed. Questions are powerful and developing the skill of enjoyment requires a new question. Instead of spending our time asking "How can I get through this day?" we can ask the question "What might I savor about this moment?" That is my question for each day this summer..."What might I savor about this moment?" I started today and right now I am enjoying writing you. This morning I savored a run in the park and seeing two snakes. (Well maybe I didn't take the time to enjoy the snakes!) I wonder what else I will enjoy today. I'm thinking this is a great way to go through life!

Challenge:

1. Are you chomping through life or savoring it?

2. What will you savor about this moment?

3. How will you celebrate life today?

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

Get Ready for More Joy...

"It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; It 's making a great deal out of the little ones." Jean Webster

"We set our goals based on the big picture, but our joy comes from the details." Victoria Moran

Thinking it Through...

Life's pleasures come from the details, the small joyful occurrences. We live in a culture that celebrates the big, noisy accomplishments but really how often do those celebrations come along? To truly enjoy life we need to celebrate the details. For example; Easter Dinner is an event. Watching the children painting the eggs is a detail. Event: Driving to work. Detail: Noticing the snow on the mountains as you drive. Event: Going out to eat with a friend. Detail: Enjoying the sound of your friend's laughter. Train yourself to go through life as an artist using her senses to notice each color and shape.
Don't keep your appreciation of details to yourself. Point out the smell of freshly baked bread, a toddler licking an ice cream cone or the bright blue of the sky. Soon you will draw others into your "detail" game. Before long you will realize that the joy of life really is in the details!

Challenge:

1. What are some events you have today? For each event spend time tuning into the details.


2. What colorful details can you purposefully add and enjoy today?


3. Share some of your beautiful details with a friend or coworker.


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

A Wasted Experience?

"All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible." William Faulkner

"Every exit is an entry somewhere else." Tom Stoppard

"If you prepare yourself at every point as well as you can...you will be able to grasp opportunity for broader experience when it appears." Eleanor Roosevelt



Thinking it Through:

In a workshop I taught last week we were discussing the varied experiences of our lives. When we look back we realize that nothing is wasted. Every success, every failure, if we let them, helps us in the future. We may not be able to see how an experience helps right now but if we keep our eyes open we will. I am meeting with many people who have lost their jobs. Yes, it is a stressful time but within that stress is opportunity. I see people using this time to start the business they never had the guts to begin. I see others, after the initial shock of losing their job, finding a position which is a better fit for them. Our road to our dreams is not a straight path but one with twists and turns. Keep learning and moving and you'll get there!

Challenge:

Always ask yourself..."What is good about this situation?"

What have you learned from your past experiences that is helping you now?

What step will you take today to get closer to your goals?


Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
Coach@leannafredrich.com
http://www.AmazingMondays.com

5 Reasons for Job-Seekers to Take Heart

It's bad enough to be job-hunting, but the daily doom-and-gloom news reports are the kicker. If you're in a job search and overwhelmed by the negative news on every inch of screen and newsprint in your life,you're not alone.

Here are five reasons to feel better about your job search and shove some of the hype to the back burner:

Earnings Are Over

Lots of companies had to shed workers to improve their fourth-quarter earnings, but plenty of them are finding that they can't serve customers without bodies on board. Look for more job openings to crop up during the spring.

Training Pays Off

Athletes train for weeks or months before seeing a change in their
results, and then one day hit a new personal best -- coaches call it
the Invisible Power Curve. Job-seekers can experience the same thing. The more experience we get interviewing, writing customized cover letters, and researching employers, the better we get at all these things. If we're learning, then our chance of getting a job improves for each successive position we pursue.

All Job-Seekers Are Not Equal

I look at resumes all day long, and I'm sorry to say that tons of
them are studded with typos and misspellings. That's a shame for
those candidates, but good for you if you're the person who watches those picky and critical details.

Your Network Is Growing

If you're letting old and new friends know about your job search,
your network is growing (even as you sleep!). The more people who know about your job search (and specifically what you're looking for), the better. It's frustrating to sit by as weeks and months elapse in your job search, but if you're cultivating your network,the passing time also builds your cadre of new-job ambassadors.

You Are More Than Your Resume

If the most common refrain of late '08 was, "Oh no, I'm getting laid
off," then the second-most-common one has got to be "But I didn't
love that job, anyway." A job search is a great way to home in on
what you're good at and love to do. When you get clear about those two items, you'll have built the first two legs of your job-search stool. The third leg is the answer to the question "Which of the things I love to do and am good at will employers pay for?"

There's a lot more to the working world than what's on your resume already. This is a great time to think about new outlets for your talents. You deserve to have a next job that will do more than pay the bills -- don't you?

by Liz Ryan
lizinboulder@grouply.com

December Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want." Ben Stein

"Be as specific as possible with all aspects of your goal." Jack Canfield

"The soul, the self, requires concreteness. There is comfort in knowing and acting on specifics." Victoria Moran

Imagine for a minute your frustration if you looked at the care tag on a new piece of clothing and it said you could... "Hand wash in cold water, Dry clean or Machine wash in warm water."All that's left is head out to the nearest stream and rub vigorously on a rock! What do you do? The vagueness, especially if you really liked the new garment, would drive you crazy! Isn't this what most of us do when it comes to what we want in life? "I'd like a new job." "I'd like to find a husband." "I want more savings." These statements tell us very little about what we really want. Commit this new year to being specific in all the important areas of your life. Learn to ask for what you want and require others to be clear on what they want from you. This one change will bring more clarity, certainty and peace to your life as we start a new year.

Coaching Questions:

1. What do you want in 2009? Be specific! If you want a new job make a list of all the things you are looking for in this job.

2. Are you clear when you ask for something? Listen to how you make requests.

3. Do you say, "I don't care" or when given a choice do you hear yourself say, "Either one."? Just for practice require yourself to make a clear choice.

4. What is a part of your life that is definitely NOT working? Take time to write down, in clear terms what you want in that area of your life.

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

November Quotes and Coaching Questions... Charmed Life or a Life of Disaster?

Quotes:

"Inaction, contrary to its reputation for being a refuge, is neither safe nor comfortable." Madeleine Kunin

"Trust life, and it will teach you, in joy and sorrow, all you need to know." James Baldwin

"This isn't the end of the story. It's just a twist in the plot." Victoria Moran

I have met many people who seem to live wonderful almost charmed lives. My mother is one of these people. You would never know that she lost her mother to cancer when she was in high school, her oldest daughter at 3 years of age to a heart defect and 7 years ago her husband died of a stroke.

Other people I know have lives full of trouble. They are always experiencing one crisis or another. What is the difference? What I have seen is that people like my mom understand that life sends us troubles occasionally but they choose to focus not on problems but on what is going well. They look for a silver-lining. They take any action they can to end the trouble and accept what is beyond their control. They always believe that things will get better. In contrast those who seem to marinate in trouble focus on it with helpless horror. They talk endlessly about it and do little or nothing to change it. They worry that trouble will constantly plague their life and usually that is exactly what happens.

As our country faces crisis it is easy to focus on problems, problems, problems but each of us has a choice... Perpetuate the trouble or look for opportunities, focus on what is going right and take any needed action. What is your choice?

Coaching Questions;

1. What will you do today to improve your life?

2. What is going right for you?

3. How will you write the next chapter of your life?

4. What are 10 things you are grateful for today?


Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

October Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"Nothing changes until you do." Unknown

"Success follows doing what you want to do. There is no other way to be successful." Malcolm S. Forbes

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." James Allen

You have a wonderful, exciting goal... Perhaps you have a business idea that lights you up or a book begging to be written or maybe an adventurous trip you are longing to embark on. Whatever dream you are holding onto begin today to step into the identity and belief that you are ready and GOING to reach this goal. Often the most simple way to begin is to act and dress as if you have already reached your goal. For example if you wish to create a best selling novel and spend your days engrossed in writing then get up a little earlier or stay up later and devote your time to writing. Put on the cozy robe you plan on wearing as an author. Wear those fuzzy slippers and grab your favorite cup of tea. BE an author for a space of time each day! It is not important if you write a lot or little. What is important is that you are stepping into the identity which will help you reach your goal. As you put on your "author outfit " and spend time writing your book you are giving messages to the subconscious mind and letting it know that this is who I am. I am an author! Your subconscious which is very accommodating will begin to support you in your goal and help you see opportunities to get there faster. Not to mention that it will help you stay motivated on those cold, dark winter mornings.

Another way to begin living your goal is to find other people who have already done what you want to. Join the groups and associations they belong to. Go to the meetings and mingle with people you aspire to be like. We are social creatures and by spending time with others who have done what we want to do it is motivating and educational. Soon it will be easy to believe that "I can do that too!"



Coaching Questions:

1. When you reach your goal how will you be dressing? Start dressing that way as much as possible now!

2. What associations or networking groups will you be in when you reach your goal? Join them now.

3. Who could you talk with who has already reached your goal? Ask them how they did it.

4. Will you talk any different after you have reached your goal? Have those conversations now.

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

A Major Obstacle to Career Change...The Fear of Self-Promotion and Selling!

Do you have a great business idea or a new career you would like to build? Many people do and some even start creating their idea. Then they stop. One of the most common obstacles to building a business or career you love are your beliefs about selling and promoting.

Whether you are creating a business or building a career, you will have to sell. You will either be selling a product or service or promoting your own abilities and accomplishments. There is no way to get around it...you must learn to sell.

There are many limiting beliefs keeping us from whole-heartedly promoting our business or ourselves. Many of us hold the belief that selling is a negative activity. We believe sales people are pushy, uncaring and annoying. There are many beliefs around the idea that it is "bragging" to talk about our achievements. People should just notice how great we are! (Of coarse that rarely happens.)

Since you can't be successful and refuse to self-promote or sell then perhaps it is time to change your beliefs around selling. How would it change your attitude if you truly believed that you have something wonderful to share with others? What if you believed that you could promote your business in a way that showed you cared about the success of others? What if you believed that in the process of promoting yourself or your business you could make wonderful friendships and business collaborations?

It all starts with our beliefs which then translate into the attitudes we hold and how we share with others. If you think about it you can probably remember someone who sold you something or offered you a service in a way that felt good. In fact you felt better after they talked to you then before. That is how you want to sell.

Along with changing your beliefs to supportive beliefs around selling it is also time to take a look at how you like to sell. Where do your strengths lie? I found that I loved to show the value of my business through offering workshops. I enjoy leading workshops and talking about my business came naturally in that environment. Others like to get involved in volunteering and in the process share with people what they do for work. Some people thrive on meeting people through networking. Many like to market over the Internet. Some people even enjoy cold calling! Experiment for yourself and find the marketing venue that fits you and your strengths.

As you think about your resistance to promoting your business or yourself make a list of fears and limiting beliefs that come up. When you have your list write an opposite powerful belief to replace it with. Don't let the fear of marketing keep you from the career or business of your dreams. Remember that whatever you have to offer is your unique gift to the world so give it!

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

How Old is Too Old to Change Careers?

Many of the client's I work with in my Life Coaching business are in the age range of 40 plus. A belief which often comes up early in our conversations is the belief that maybe they are too old to consider changing careers. After all they should be slowing down. They should be thinking about retiring not starting a new business or entering a new career. Well thats a lot of "shoulds" and as time goes by I am less and less sold on retirement. I get many retired people in my workshops who say that they are totally bored with retirement and are ready to get back to work! Sure, they are picky about the work they want. They want work they are passionate about and many want more freedom of time. What they all want is to feel like they are doing something meaningful and enjoyable with their life.

As a generation we are living longer then ever and many of us are extremely healthy so there is no reason to hold back from finding and creating work we are passionate about. There are many examples of people who change careers much later then is normally thought of as a "good age" for a new career. I remember reading about a woman who always dreamed about being a doctor. She entered medical school at the age of 60. Often people would say to her, "Do you know that you will be in your 70's when you finish?" Her answer always was, "I'll be in my 70's anyway. I would rather be a doctor when I am 70 then just be 70." Last I heard she was enjoying a thriving medical practice. Most successful new businesses are started by someone in their 50's or older. In fact many Venture Capital Companies prefer funding businesses run by a more mature and experienced leader.

A common argument against starting a new career as an older person is that , "I won't have enough energy." Often people are so burned out in their current career that it is hard to imagine having the energy to start a new one. We do need to be good caretakers of our energy at all times of life but especially as we get older. The beauty is that when you find a career you love, which uses your strengths then it will naturally give you energy! Yes, you will get tired by the end of the day but you will be ready and excited to go do it again tomorrow. When you are working from your strengths and passions it feeds your energy rather then draining it. What I have found is that when you are in a career you love it is easier to drop the draining activities in your life or hire them done. Save your energy for what you love!

A big plus to starting a business or new career when you are older is that you bring with you tons of life experience. You have learned through the years how to get along better with others, how to problem solve and you have connections you developed over time. All of this will help you progress faster and move smarter. Take all your hard earned knowledge and life lessons with you and they will give you a huge boost.

So let's change that old belief, "I am too old for a career change." and choose a supportive belief like, "I am the perfect age for a career change." Agnes Martin wrote, "I didn't get my first show until I was 45. If I could tell you anything, I would tell you that you have time." So gather your wonderful self up and get started on that new career or business. It is never too late to have work that brings you joy!

Leanna helps people discover their passions and then build a business or career around it. She specializes in helping people get over their fears and limiting beliefs quickly and easily so they can create the life of their dreams. Contact her at coach@leannafredrich.com to get started now.

Career Change...Is it Just Too Hard?

I received a phone call from a new client who was frustrated with her career. Each day work drained her energy and left her longing for bed. The interesting thing was that after a few minutes this client told me exactly what career she wanted. She knew what she wanted to do but was not pursuing her dream. Why? She was holding onto the limiting belief that "Changing careers is too hard. It will take too much work." Here she was stuck in a job she didn't like because she was afraid it would be too hard to change.

This client is not alone. The old saying, "The devil you know is often better then the devil you don't." is an old saying for a reason. We are willing to put up with the job we know because we are afraid of change and how hard it might be. But what is hard? I think hard is getting up every morning and dragging out the door to a job I hate. Hard is having this hopeless feeling that I'll be going to this job, spending precious hours of my life, at a place I dread being at. It is hard work showing up at a job that drains my energy and leaves me unable to really enjoy life even after I leave the workplace in the evening. Now THAT is what I consider hard!!

Pursuing a new career, one that interests and excites you can be a great adventure with loads of fun. Will it take some time and energy? Absolutely! Energy and work spent on something you love is a completely different feeling then spending energy on something you dislike. Think back to a time when you learned something new...something you wanted to learn. Maybe when you first learned to ride a bike. You got on the bike and everything felt wobbly and scary. There probably were a lot of falls that first day. But you kept practicing because you wanted to ride that bike! Pretty soon you could ride a little ways with out falling. What a feeling! Before long you were zipping around the neighborhood with the wind in your hair.

When you first begin to change your career or start that new business it is often overwhelming. Just like when you learned to ride a bike everything feels new and unsteady. There is so much to learn and accomplish. Take it easy on yourself and break your tasks into small steps. Take one step at a time and allow mistakes and learning to take place. All of this... mistakes, overwhelm, fear, comes with change and you will be alright.

Take those small steps, keeping your eyes on the goal and before you know it you will have the career or business you have always dreamed of. Oh, and guess what? You will look back and say, "Yes, it took some work but it was absolutely worth it!"

Leanna Fredrich helps people discover their passion and build a business or career around it. To contact her send an email to coach@leannafredrich.com

July Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"You've got to ask. Asking is, in my opinion, the world's most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness." Percy Ross (Self-made millionaire)

"Just get used to the idea that there's going to be a lot of rejection along the way to the brass ring." Jack Canfield

"To be alive at all involves some risk." Harold MacMillan

In order to get what you want in life it is important to have the bravery to ask for it. This is extremely hard to do for most of us. It involves facing rejection head on. The truth is that thinking about the rejection is much harder then facing it and you just might get the wonderful answer of "Yes!" Ask for what you want directly and politely. Prefacing your request with, "I know you probably don't want this but..." or "It's ok if you say no" is NOT the way to ask. Just ask directly and then a simple "Thank you." for a yes and "Thanks anyway" for a no response is all that is needed. Keep it simple and keep asking. It gets easier and the rewards are huge!

Coaching Questions:

1. What would you like to ask for at work?

2. What would you like to ask for at home?

3. How has being afraid to ask for what you want hurt you?

4. What will you ask for today?

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

"If you need support as you choose to ask for what you want contact Leanna at Coach@LeannaFredrich.com."

How to Put the Brakes on Your Career-Change!

If you want to stop yourself dead in your tracks while finding your passion-filled career believe this..."I can't make enough money doing what I love. This belief alone is strong enough to keep people from exploring new and interesting careers. Often I hear client's saying, "I love doing ________ but I could never make enough money at it." They keep searching for what they want to do which is hard because they have already discounted the business/career they really wish they could have! In fact often this belief is used as an excuse to avoid exploring ANY options.

The fact is when we say "I can't" those two little words will shut down creativity faster than a spring loaded trapdoor. All of a sudden we wonder why we can't seem to get any good ideas. The problem is we just told our mind "I can't" and the subconscious which is always trying to make us right says,"That is right you can't make money doing anything you love so no more ideas for you!"

What if we changed that belief to, "I make excellent money doing what I love."? How would that change our exploration process? My guess is that we would explore different options with greater enthusiasm and lightheartedness. We would keep our minds open and creative. All of a sudden we would see more options then we thought possible. (The hard part may be to choose the best one for us but that is the topic for another article!)

Here are some simple exercises you can do to help you change your limiting belief, "I can't make money doing what I love." to a supporting belief, "I make excellent money doing what I love." First begin noticing people who make great money following their passions. Ask around, read biography's, listen to the news to find people who are thriving and loving their work. If one of those successful people is doing what you wish to do use them and their business as a model. There is no need to start from scratch. Find out how they took what they loved and made it successful.

Another way to not only change your belief but also open up your creativity is to enlist the help of a supportive, positive friend for a brainstorming session. Start with what you love and want to do and then come up with ways that you can earn money with your beloved career/business. What passive income streams can you develop? Often people who are financially successful doing what they love have several revenue streams. How many can you think up? Be willing to be outrageous in your brainstorming. Many times from those crazy, "impossible" ideas come some very workable, successful ideas. Keep open and have fun!

You can create a abundant career/ business you love. The first step is to believe it. Everyday state the belief you wish to have. The belief that will support you in reaching your dreams. Soon you will be the one that inspires others to believe that they too can make plenty of money doing what they love!

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
"Are you ready for passion-filled work? Contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com"

Do You Feel Paralyzed When Considering a Career Change?

Somewhere in the sky there must be a rule written in big, bold letters..."Thou Must Not Make Mistakes After Age 30!!" Most of my client's are on at least their second career and many of them are terrified of making a mistake when choosing a career they are passionate about. They have huge expectations for their next career step. This career must be fulfilling, fun, world-changing, lucrative and involve working with angels on earth! Now, as a Life Coach I am all for having a career with all of the above perks but lets face it, that is a lot of pressure on one decision. Often all that pressure leads people into paralyzed inaction.

I hate to be the one to say it but the path to a passion-filled career is not always straight and full of sunshine. Many times it is crooked and full of pot-holes ie.. mistakes. In fact finding a career that is fulfilling and exciting requires a ton of mistakes so it is a good idea to get started!

Many people feel that they cannot trust themselves to make the right decision when it comes to their next career. The fact is that YOU are the only one you can trust to find a career that you are passionate about. Yes, you can work with a Coach and it will speed up the process but the Coach will be spending that time helping you find the answers inside. It is time to get back in touch with that wise person inside of you. The one who's voice is all covered up with the stress and chaos of life. You can do this simply by taking quiet time each day, not to choose your career but to be quiet and listen to your breathing. Slow down your mind so that your wisdom and creativity will shine through. Then follow any ideas you might have. Take a step forward to explore a career or business you are interested in. Allow yourself to explore it as a young child explores things. Keep asking yourself... "Does this interest me?" If the first path you explore comes to a dead end don't berate yourself just turn around and get the scent of a new trail. Have fun! Be curious! Let go of the idea that you have to have a clear plan right now.

When you are following your passion and listening to your heart you can be sure that you are heading the right way even if your career doesn't end up looking like you expected. For example, Kathy thought she wanted to be an artist and sell her paintings around the world. She took steps to begin that career but along the way Kathy discovered that she loved helping people choose and place artwork in their home. Kathy is absolutely crazy about her new career even though it wasn't what she set out to do. Remain open and curious.

If you find yourself holding to the belief that "I don't trust myself to choose the right career or business consider a change. How would your life change if you truly believed that , "I will follow my heart and I know it will lead me to my passions and the career of my dreams?" And don't forget to add this to your beliefs. "It is ok to make mistakes!" So as your Life Coach for the moment here is your fieldwork. Listen to your heart, begin exploring and along the way make a lot of mistakes!

Leanna Fredrich guides people to find their passions and then build a career or business around it. She helps them quickly and easily get over their fears and limiting beliefs so they can pursue the career of their dreams. Contact her at coach@leannafredrich.com

Here's How to Keep Motivated as You Make a Career Change

You are looking for a career that is fulfilling and exciting. One that will get you out of bed in the morning with a smile on your face. So you begin looking for that career. Weeks go by. You are still stuck in that life-sucking job. How do you keep motivated enough to do the work it will take to find your next career?

The key to success that is most often ignored or forgotten is this... Take time to celebrate! I can hear you saying, "I have nothing to celebrate. I am stuck in this job and I haven't made the career change I want." My answer is find something to celebrate. Researchers show that people we consider successful tend to focus on their past successes . People who we would consider failures tend to focus on their past failures. We get more of what we focus on. Plus how motivating is it to focus on past and current failures? It doesn't get you out of bed filled with energy to work on moving towards a new career!

I will share with you two simple activities to help you focus and celebrate your daily successes. (Yes, you have them!) The first activity is a "Success Log." Peter Thigpen, a former vice-president at Levi Strauss & Co. kept a "Success Log" on his desk. Anytime he had a success whether it was big or small he wrote it down. Everyday he wrote at least a couple of entries. Sometimes the entries were about work, sometimes they referred to success in his personal life. When he had a bad day or when he was about to do something uncomfortable like make a speech to the board of directors or negotiate a big deal Peter pulled out his Success Log and read his previous entries. Doing this kept him focused on success and prepared him for a confident speech or negotiation.

Start a Success Log today! I don't want to hear that you have nothing to write down! Are you out of bed? Did you get the kids off to school? Did you drive safely to work? All of us have many successes everyday so write some down! Give yourself credit. Most of us have a double standard in regards to taking credit. When we complete something successfully we tend to downplay it. In contrast when we make a mistake we tend to blow it up and take full credit. Not fair! It is time to take full credit for our successes instead. Focus on success.

The second activity to help you focus on success is the "Mirror Exercise". Every night before bed simply look in the mirror, right into your eyes and say your name... I appreciate you for ______________ today. For example I might say, "Leanna, I appreciate you for going on a run today." or "I appreciate you for making that hard phone call." List five successes you have had today. When you are done look yourself in the eyes and say, "I love you." Many people have trouble with this last part because they truly have a hard time loving themselves. Do it anyway because as you change careers you need the confidence that will come from loving yourself. If you can't look into your eyes at first then look away and say it. It will get easier.

In order to have courage and motivation to take the risks necessary to have a career you love you must gather strength from your past successes. You need to celebrate each step of the way. Doing this will not only give you confidence but it will help make this career change journey exciting and fun.


Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
If you are ready to create the career of your dreams contact Leanna at coach@leannafredrich.com.

How to Make a Career-Change Plan that Works!

In my Life Coaching Business I often see clients who after a few minutes of talking tell me what career they would love. They really are not confused about what they want to do instead they are afraid to go after their dream or they don't know how or perhaps a combination of the two. It is wonderful to know what your passion-filled career would be but extremely frustrating to know that and never do a thing about it! Carol is a prime example of this dilemma. She is amazingly artistic and loves decorating houses. Her own house sold in two days during a depressed market and had several offers. Why? Because Carol had made her home a showplace. Any outsider can see that Carol has the talent, passion and gift for Interior Decorating. Unfortunately, she has not followed that dream and has jumped from one unsatisfying job to another. Part of the reason Carol is stuck is the absence of a clear goal and plan to achieve it.

The first step to turn a dream into a reality is to be very clear about what you want. Take time to write out your ideal job. Put as many details into your description as possible. You need to give that powerful part of your brain, your subconscious, detailed and brilliant pictures to work with. When you describe your goal use all your senses to make a clear picture of what you want. For example writing down, "I want a rewarding career." does not give the subconscious much to go on. What is a rewarding career? What would that look like? What would you be doing? What would others be saying about you? Once your goal is clear it is much easier to move forward with purpose and motivation.

The next step is to acknowledge WHY you want to reach this goal. A goal without a strong purpose will not keep you interested. Write down all the reasons you can think of. What is in it for you? How will you impact others? If you cannot come up with a strong "why" then it is often a sign that this goal is not yours at all but something that you think you "should" do or someone else thinks you "should" do. A powerful "why" helps you stay motivated even when you encounter obstacles as you embark on your career change.

After you are clear about what you want and why you want it then you can start creating a Dream Line. The Dream Line should be for the next six months to one year. If you make a plan for much longer then that it is easy to procrastinate. Write down where you want to be at the end of the year. What do you want to accomplish that would feel really great? Do you want to have your own business running and profitable? Do you want to move to a new city and be working at your dream job as _____________. Do you want a promotion into the position you have always dreamed of? When you know the end result then you can begin filling in the blanks. What do you need to have done this month? What will you accomplish next month. Of coarse this is a "living" plan and you will change as you go but by writing down what you think you should accomplish each month you will keep momentum.

Jonathon Winters the comedian once said, "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it." After making a plan the key to unlock your dreams is action. Consistent, daily action. Jack Canfield, author of "The Success Principles" talks about taking 5 daily actions steps towards your goal. Don't worry if you are not sure how to take some of the steps do it anyway. Yes, you will make some mistakes but that is how you move forward. We all learned how to walk by trying and falling and trying again. I'm not sure why we get the idea that when we learn as adults we need to do it without mistakes! It just doesn't work that way.

Because we will be making mistakes, learning new things and feeling fear it is important that we gather a support team. Who do you need on your team? These should be "can do" people who will encourage you as you change your career. They need to be people who will let you cry on their shoulders and then give you a gentle ( or not so gentle!) shove towards your goal. Remember that sometimes we need to tell people how we would like to be supported. Don't assume they will know. Tell them!

As you move forward towards your goal keep focused on the desired end result. Imagine what it will be like when you are working in your new career. What will you feel like? What will you be doing? Who will you be working with? Keep your vision bright. Not only will it keep you motivated but you will naturally attract the people, resources and circumstances that will help you begin your passion-filled career.

Celebrate as you work towards your goal. Many of us celebrate after we start our new business or land our dream job and that is great but it is not enough. We need to celebrate each small step. Research has shown that people who feel successful tend to have more successes. The way to feel successful each day is to acknowledge your completion of each small step. These little treats along the way will keep you moving forward and make the journey fun. Let's get started.. It is time to take action and turn your dream into a reality!

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
If you are ready to create the career of your dreams contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com.

Treat Yourself to a Wonderful, Big Life!

Quotes:

"The ultimate secret to aging exquisitely is to identify more with the part of yourself that doesn't grow older-the inner part-and less with the other part that metamorphoses through ages and stages all your life long." Victoria Moran

"The older I get the greater power I seem to have to help the world." Susan B. Anthony

"Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason turn his back on life." Eleanor Roosevelt


I often hear from client's that "they are too old to make the career change they have always wanted." What a sad commentary on life and getting older. So often we allow our world to shrink instead of expand. We feel we must get smaller, less valuable. What a bunch of self-defeating baloney!! Now is the time to create your dreams. Age has nothing to do with it. The three greatest regrets people express on their death bed is that they did not take enough risk, did not take excellent care of themselves and they were not as vulnerable to the people closest to them as they wished they had been. In short, they played life safe and small. Don't make the same mistakes. Live life boldly, taking risks that mean something to you and living large!

Coaching Questions:

1. Where have you been playing small in your life?

2. What is a risk you need to take?

3. How can you take excellent care of yourself today?

4. What is one thing you can do today to live large?

Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich
If you would like support in creating your dreams contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com

What's Stopping You from Making a Great Career Change?

You are longing for a career change. One that makes your heart sing. One that will cause you to leap out of bed Monday morning, (Well maybe not leap but at least feel great about work!) Maybe you have been wishing for your own business but are not sure what that business would be. Why haven't you already found that career? Part of the answer may be that you do not know what career you want but there is another block to you moving forward – Limiting Beliefs. I have found in my Life Coaching practice that limiting beliefs are the greatest obstacle to people moving forward towards their dreams.
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Think about your dream for a career change. When you imagine your career the way you want it, what do you start thinking about? Do you think thoughts like...."I am too old to make a career change." "I could never make enough money in a career I loved." "Starting my own business would take too much time." "I'm not smart enough, thin enough, rich enough, outgoing enough..." These "lovely" little tapes in our heads are beliefs - limiting beliefs. They are what makes reaching your dreams a struggle. They are the very things that cause you to procrastinate, make excuses and ignore taking action towards your goal.

Where did these limiting beliefs come from? From just about everywhere- our society, friends, parents, teachers, TV. We, for whatever reason chose to believe these statements and make them true for us. When we choose a belief then we began looking around for support. The beliefs are in our subconscious and the job of our subconscious is to make us right. When we choose a belief like, "I could never make enough money in a career I loved" we quickly look around and see examples of others who have careers they love but very little cash. Over the years we gather more support for our belief until we firmly believe it is the TRUTH! The fact is if we had chosen the opposite belief, "I can make wonderful amounts of money in a career I love." then we would have gathered support and examples to make that belief true for us and guess what? If we hold that belief then nothing would stop us from having a lucrative career we loved. You see we don't get what we want we get what we believe we deserve. When we change our beliefs we absolutely change our life!

I can hear you saying, "Alright let's get rid of these nasty beliefs! How do I do it?" The first step is to bring them into the light. Most of us go through life without looking at what is going on in our brains that is making life a struggle. So just getting those beliefs out of your head and onto a piece of paper is powerful. What are the beliefs that are stopping you? Take a minute to write down all the beliefs that may be stopping you from making an exciting career change. Write them down no matter how outrageous they are.

Take a look at your limiting beliefs. How have they cost you? Not just financially but emotionally, physically? Our limiting beliefs are there to supposedly keep us safe but instead they hurt us. They keep us from even trying for what we want most. They keep us from believing in our abilities to reach our dreams..

The next step is to read your beliefs over and ask yourself, "What beliefs do I need to have to support me in finding work I love?" Take a minute to write those beliefs down. Many times they are just the opposite of the limiting beliefs we have. For example, your limiting belief may be "I am too old to make a career change." Your new supporting belief could be, "I have all the experience and energy I need to make a wonderful career change."

Now that you have written down your new beliefs, read them over 2-3 times per day. At first when you read them they will feel like lies but stick with it. Soon you will begin to believe them. Also spend time daily looking for support for your new beliefs. You have years of examples to support your limiting beliefs so we need to build a foundation of support for your new ones. Look around for people that are doing what you wish to do. Find people either in person or in books and the media that have jobs and lives they love. Give the new beliefs as much support as you can every day!

You may have some beliefs that are so ingrained that they are quite difficult to get rid of. There are a couple tools I use in my Life Coaching which quickly remove limiting beliefs. One tool is called the "Emotional Freedom Technique" (EFT) and the other is Psych K. If you are interested, email me at coach@leannafredrich.com

Getting rid of limiting beliefs is the single most important step you can take for your career and your life. When you have beliefs that support you then nothing can stop you from finding the career of your dreams. You will move forward with ease and joy for it is those nasty beliefs that keep you struggling. Start today to replace them and then move forward towards your amazing career!

Leanna Fredrich helps people discover their passion and build a business or career around it. She specializes in helping people easily and quickly get over their fears and limiting beliefs so they can create their dreams.

Pamper Yourself Starting Today! December's Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"Surely joy is the condition of life." Henry David Thoreau

"You were made for enjoyment and the world was filled with things which you will enjoy." John Ruskin

"One can get just as much exultation in losing oneself in a little thing as in a big thing. It is nice to think how one can be recklessly lost in a daisy!" Anne Morrow Lindbergh


Never underestimate the value of taking the time to enjoy the little things in each day. So many people come to me who have lost sight of what they love, what they are passionate about. The reason they have disconnected from their true self is often because they have stopped taking time for the little nurturing activities which feed their soul. It does not take much more time to live well as to live poorly. It can be as simple as pouring your morning juice or smoothie into a beautiful glass instead of a plastic super hero cup. Perhaps it is taking a bit more time in choosing food that really tastes good. A beautiful piece of dark chocolate to savor instead of mindlessly scarfing down a candy bar. Maybe it is taking time to turn on your favorite music the minute you get home from work or changing into luxurious soft clothing in the evening. Sometimes it is mind-food that we need. Taking the time to read a book, a poem or listening to an audio book that will feed your soul. Whatever nurtures you and brings you pleasure do it today!

Coaching Questions:

1. What are some activities which nurture you?

2. How much of each day do you take time to enjoy?

3. What are you going to do today to feed your soul?


Leanna Fredrich
Success Coach
"If you are burned out and would like more passion in your work and life contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com."
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