Want to know my greatest fear?
That I’ll be lying on my deathbed, and look back on my life thinking I did it all wrong.
Related: 2 Life-Transforming Traits Of A $30 Billion Dollar Man
Like Sam Walton, billionaire founder of Wal-Mart, who said on his death bed: “I blew it."
Why?
Well, no one can contend that Walton was one of the greatest business people of all time. But apparently, he didn’t show up that way for his family and friends.
And he regretted it.
What a shame, isn’t it? To work so hard your entire life because you believe in something. You love it. It’s your passion, and it consumes you… and then to realize at the end that you were playing the wrong game the entire time.
Because that’s the question we’re all trying to answer, isn’t it?
How do I want to spend my life? What is real success?
Well, in my search for an answer - a guiding compass for my own life and career - I came across a man named Brendon Burchard a few years back.
He nearly died in a car accident and, when he woke up, he realized that he hadn’t been living life as well as he could be.
However, three powerful questions had come to him during the experience, and been ingrained in his mind. They’ve guided his life ever since, and - through his bestselling books - touched the lives of thousands of other people as well.
These three questions are the best daily “career compass” I’ve found to seek true success and avoid realizing too late that you’ve done it all wrong... and I think they might resonate with you as well. Here they are:
The 3 Simple “Career Compass” Questions You Need To Achieve REAL Success
Question #1: Did I Live?
"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." - Pope Paul VI
Simple. Powerful. Inspiring.
So every night, at the end of the day before you go to bed… ask yourself, “Did I live today?”
If the answer is “no” for too many days in a row, then it’s time for a change.
Question #2: Did I Love?
This is where it seems Sam Walton thinks he missed the mark.
You can have the most amazing adventures in your life…
Make a ton of money…
And be passionate about what you do…
But at the end of the day, it’s all about relationships. It’s all about love.
So, question #2 to ask yourself tonight is, “Did I love?”
Question #3: Did I Matter?
Service, contribution, and a feeling that what you’re doing matters has been proven to make people happier.
Obviously, we all spend the majority of our time at work. And now more than ever it’s easier to find a job with a company that’s doing good things in the world - where you can feel like what you’re doing matters.
So if you’re feeling unfulfilled with your work, check out organizations on the GameChangers 500 list of the world’s top “For-Benefit” companies (who choose to make a difference AND a profit).
My way of “mattering” is by teaming up with the founder of the GameChangers 500 to help people like you find and get a job you love with an inspiring company that will engage and empower you - so that your career helps you live, love, and matter.
To learn more about how we do that, check out our free video sharing three tips for finding and getting a job you love.
Cheers to real success.
Ryan Niessen is a keynote speaker and co-creator of The Gateway Method: a simple, proven way to gain inside access to the world’s best employers and get your dream job. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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