Perhaps I’m late to this party, but there’s still a lot of change being experienced by people as the economic meltdown reverberates. In the process of all the upheaval, a lot has been written about what people are doing to deal with the unwelcomed loss of jobs, money, homes, educational pursuits and dreams of a certain future.

Early in my corporate career, the idea of losing my job was outright frightening. And when I heard in my 20’s that a person my age would change jobs seven times before retirement, I was mortified. 

Since that time I did lose a job – or two. With that came an overflow of fear as I grappled with the unknown, how to hang on to what I had and what to do next. These are natural responses to both real and imagined threats. Surprisingly, I not only survived, but in many ways I thrived. Over the years, I’ve learned how to turn threats into opportunities.

Whenever we’re threatened, we have the opportunity to emotionally react to the situation, or intellectually interpret it. We can panic, get depressed, throw things and make matters worse, or we can step back, assess the situation and ask – “How can I turn this into an opportunity.” Opportunity can be something new, different or beneficial for you or others involved.

We’re all walking on somewhat of a tightrope called life. If we lean left or right, that leads to oblivion and certain death. If we stand still, we’re destined for mediocrity. What we must do if we don’t want to fall or freeze is - keep moving.

Once again, I was asked to respond to a question posed by a reader of the Career Builder section of the Arizona Republic newspaper, in a column known as “Ask The Experts.” Following is a recent Q&A from that column.

Question:

I was convicted of a felony 13 years ago. I wanted to change my life, so I made the decision to go to school. This year I will be graduating with an MBA in Project Management. Have I wasted my money going to school? Was I just dreaming thinking I could be a professional even though I have a felony conviction?

Answer:

In spite of what you’ve done in the past, good or bad, there are three types of people that you will encounter in the world. They include those who are for you, those who are against you and those who don’t care.

I’ve coached people in your situation so I know that there are opportunities out there that are “for you,” although some industries are sensitive and have more rigid hiring policies. You may be better off looking at companies that are more people-driven and not policy-driven. In any event, your job is to find those opportunities, and then honestly convey to them that you have the ability to accept consequences, overcome poor choices and accomplish positive things like getting an MBA.

Going forward, the only thing that could be a waste of time is to dwell on the past. Do your best to let that go, keep dreaming and expect good things for your future.

Years ago, in an interview for a real estate lending job at a bank in Tucson, I was asked by the hiring manager, “What do you really want to do?” I said, “I want to be an entertainment lawyer.” True at the time, but what was truer is that I really didn’t want to move back to Tucson. Needless to say, I didn’t have to.

It wasn’t my intent to waste this guy’s time, nor to be a wisecracker, but that’s what happened. If I were clearer about what I wanted my career to look like, things would have been better all the way around. That’s why I wrote The 5C’s of a Career You Will Love. It will help you gain clarity. Get your complimentary copy here.

I’ve always been fascinated with the psychology of pricing, so I found this article to be very interesting.
 
“Your Brain at Wal-Mart”
 
I’m curious about how this applies to the pricing of hourly services such as business or executive coaching, or legal help. And I would think that on some level there is also a value consideration when it comes to service pricing. Does $199.99 versus $200.00 per hour create a negative perception, even though it appears to be a better buy?
 
What do you think?

If you have to do any kind of presentations in front of a group, large or small, you understand how nerve-wracking it can be. And unless you’re a “natural,” becoming a proficient presenter requires that you overcome fear, build confidence and develop your skills. 

Mike Jones of Perfect Presentation Coaching discusses the key elements of making a perfect presentation, as well as the common mistakes to avoid. If you need to improve your presentation skills, then listen to this Talk About Success Radio episode.