In business, good writing is considered a “threshold” skill for both employment and promotion. People who can write effectively have a huge advantage over those who are poor or indifferent communicators. A recent survey by the College Board showed that “people who cannot write and communicate clearly will not be hired and are unlikely to last long enough to be considered for promotion”.

It’s clear that, to succeed in business, you need to demonstrate a proficiency at writing. In addition to your regular work, start writing articles for both online and print publications. Get your name out there and become known for both your writing and your expertise.

You can find lists of online article directories by doing a simple internet search. For online article submission, I use “Submit Your Article” and they’re a great service.

For print publications, start with the professional journals in your field (check their online articles, too). Consider writing a short, filler piece for your local newspaper. Write Letters to the Editor commenting on news events that affect your business. All of these things will raise your profile and building yourself a respectable portfolio of writings will help move you ahead of the pack. 

So, you’re slogging along in a rut, unmotivated, complaining that you never get a break, never get to follow your passion. Then along comes a story about a young man who broke all the rules.

Barrington Irving, Jamaican-born and raised in a Miami, FL inner-city neighborhood where he didn’t see a lot of options for success, found a role model at age 15 when he met a United Airlines Pilot who invited him to come out to the airport and tour an airplane. Irving fell in love with flying and vowed to one day fly solo around the world. At age 23, he’s done just that, landing at Florida’s Opa-locka Executive Airport on Wed, 27 June 2007. Along the way, he raised $1.2 million in sponsorships and an airplane.

Read Irving’s inspiring story here and here. If he can live his dream, so can you. Go get it!

How do you measure success? It is material things? Power? Lots of family and friends? Money? Freedom? And, whatever success is to you, does the way you live your life support that success?

Phil Gerbyshak talks about aligning your life with your intention and becoming truly successful.

 

Steve Pavlina really connects with this list of why we let our lives continue in disarray.

In my experience, the weakness that sets us (including me) back the most is Steve’s #5:

“5. Lack of error correction - Once errors get into the system, they tend to stick around for a while.  One bad decision left uncorrected will soon see more errors piled on top of it.  This is how people sink into debt, put on weight, and get jobs, only to regret it later.  Apparently we’d rather be stupid than appear stupid.”

Not only is this a standard way to live for most people, it seems to be the the method that our government is operating under right now.

Read the rest of the list and think about what changes you can make to stop limiting yourself.

From Tim Sanders: Do you remember the days where you had the weekends clear of “work chatter”? If no one had your home phone, you left on Friday and resumed your work life on Monday. Pagers came into our lives and began to erode this. Cell phone became popular in the late 80’s and eroded this sanctity further. Read more…

So, you think you have a terrible job? How about researching whale feces or wading through toxic waste? Popular Science magazine weighs in with their list of the top ten jobs no one but a dedicated scientist would do.

 

 

Here’s a remarkable video of a little piece of magic who’s walking around thinking he’s just a mobile phone salesman. Then the world tells him “YES!”

If you don’t get a little teary watching this, check to make sure you still have a pulse.

Marshall Goldsmith, CEO coach, in his recent book ”What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”, says successful leaders need to overcome the success paradox: They focus on their behavioural traits as the reason for success, but neglect to see that these behaviours can actually hold them back from attaining even higher levels.