Career Essentials Newsletter March 2004

Welcome

Hello Dear Readers,

Well, we are in deep winter in NYC. Frigid cold days followed by more of the same. Brrrrr.

So we upped and got ourselves to Florida for 5 wonderful days of sun and 80 degree temps. It was delicious.

Thanks to my wonderful cousins Lee and Nina in Florida for taking such good care of us and showing us the wonders of nature there.

Besides alligators and ibises, we watched dolphins perform and visited an amazing orchid museum in Delray Beach. On the left is a photo of me feeding nectar to a Lory (a brilliantly colored Australian parrot). What a treat.

This month’s topic highlights the difference between commitments vs. goals. When you’re committed to something it lights you up, and you know you’ve hit what’s real for you. That’s a guaranteed way of getting you into action. Hope you find it helpful.

I’ve been busy creating a new program designed specifically for managers who want to improve their management skills or wish to transition into leadership roles. The program will be rolled out in March. Please stay tuned!

To Your Success,
Dale

Commitment vs. Goals

What are you committed to?

• Do you find yourself struggling to meet your goals?
• Do you set goals for yourself and find yourself challenged to meet them?
• Is your trash littered with to-do lists that never got completed?

People often feel they must have goals, expectations, and to-do lists. All of that is fine if it gets you results.

Often you feel like you’re pushing against the natural inclination to stay rooted to your chair. It’s a fight. Like getting yourself to the gym or re-doing your resume.

But what if you were committed to an action or outcome? There’s a huge difference between a goal and a commitment. A goal is an outcome of your action; the commitment is the inner drive that sets the goal to begin with.

The dictionary defines commitment as “dedicated or pledged, especially to support a doctrine or cause.” You know how some people get all hot under the collar when talking about their political choice? That’s the passion that can be aroused when you are committed to do something.

Start by asking yourself “What are you committed to?” Asking forces you to take a look beyond the shoulds and to-do lists.

In fact, clarifying your commitment ought to be done BEFORE you set your goals. Sometimes that will change your goals entirely.

Here’s an example: What if your goal was to re-do your resume so you could get a new job? This might seem like the best way to approach your job search. But you could easily get frustrated in drafting your new resume if you were unclear about what job you wanted next and how to best showcase your skills for that new position. Ergo, inertia.

Now, what if you approached the topic by asking yourself what you are committed to? The answer might be to find a job that is better suited to your skills and talents. You’d first have to identify the career area you were interested in before you could set the goal of re-doing your resume. The drive behind the commitment to get out of a job you disliked would most probably propel you forward through the hard working of rewriting your resume.

See the difference?

So next time you decide you need to set goals, take the time to dig down and see what’s really going on, and let that energy clarify and drive you.

“Take Action” Exercise

Take a look at your daily habits. The small constructive actions you take on a routine basis can quickly give you a sense of what you are most committed to. These daily habits can form the foundation for major changes in your life. The habits can be related to your professional or personal life. Examples: make two networking calls, walk twenty minutes a day (during which you could do your best thinking), etc.

List ten daily habits that will provide you forward momentum and help you honor your commitments (to yourself)!

Announcements

As a gift to my loyal subscribers I’m offering a free afternoon of coaching so you can create a great spring season.

Have a concern or challenge? Call 212/787-6097 from 1-3 PM on Friday, March 5th and get the solution to your issues. Calls will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Please keep trying if you get my voice mail.

I look forward to speaking with you on March 5th!

I’m currently offering
one-on-one coaching to:

Want to network successfully every time?

Be prepared for every stage of the networking process: learn what to do before, during and after you go. Surefire Networking Tips E-Book now available. Click here for more details.

I also offer an exploratory half-hour of
coaching with no obligation.

I can be reached at 212/787-6097 or dale@dalekurow.com

Author: Dale R. Kurow, M.S.

Dale Kurow is a career and executive coach who helps individuals find success and personal enrichment at their vocations and who works with corporations to maximize the potential of valuable employees.

Contact Dale by e-mail
dale@dalekurow.com
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Graphic Designer David Moorhead