As I said, Aug. 20, 2008, stunk.
In writing that post, I remember my original word was that it sucked.
But, I resisted from letting emotions get in the way.
Being laid off from a job — whether you are single or married with four children to support — really does suck. At the time. The emotions of fear, worry, self-doubt, anger and countless other negative ones the minutes and hours afterward collide like the line of scrimmage of a Sunday afternoon football game. It ain’t pretty.
You can either wallow in that quicksand of emotions and sink, or you can be thankful for what you do have and get determined.
You also can rely on what faith you may have. My wife, Amy, and I were already strong in our faith in God. And then that faith grew when she became pregnant with our fourth child. And, it grew yet again during the past year.
The past year has definitely been a tremendous learning experience. Severance. Freelance work. Unemployment. Food stamps. Plenty of job interviews — and a few near hits. Self-employment. Off unemployment. On unemployment. Scary times. Family times. Sleep deprivation. Meeting great people. Humility. Up. Down. More sleep deprivation. Personal growth.
It doesn’t matter where I am right now, but overall, it’s been a positive experience.
What does matter is that — rather than dive into some personal, introspective self-therapy crap — I try to provide value and share with you what I’ve learned with the hopes that you will get some benefit from it.
Assuming you have some level of skill, it matters as much who you know as what you know. Part of human nature is an innate desire to help others. Most of the solid opportunities I’ve had were due to the actions of others — setting up introductions, bringing me in on a project, referring me, etc. So, get good at your craft and then network. Have a sincere interest in others. If you’re an introvert, get out of our comfort zone, and meet people. Look outward; not inward.
As you hope others will watch out for you, be sure you watch out for others. Whether you call it karma, the Golden Rule or just being nice, get to know the needs of your network so you can connect people who can help each other. I can’t point to a specific example of when this has helped me, but it definitely can’t hurt for you to get a reputation as a resource. It’s something I need to be better at and do more of.
Add value to the relationships you have with others. It could be saying thanks for help; it could be forwarding an article that might be of professional or personal interest; it could complimenting someone to one of his or her peers; it could be empathy; or it could be giving without expecting anything in return. Contribute somehow to the lives of others.
Don’t ever give up. If you’re seeking work, operating your own business, or even if you have a job and you’re trying to improve. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Don’t blame others. Don’t rely on others. Nothing will happen unless you take action. So, get off your butt.
Finally, you must have faith that, whatever challenging situation you are in, it will work out for the best. You may not know what the “best” is, but you must have faith in God that it will work out for the best.
I hope the above has been of value.
-Mike
