Alignment..

A couple of weeks ago I was walking along the Aldwych towards Holborn when I passed a bus stop with a big yellow sign tied to the post stating ‘ No buses stopping here’ . I was surprised to see three people stood at the same bus stop waiting for a bus! I watched in wonder, and then realised that there are so many of us waiting for a bus that never stops. We become frustrated. Then complain that nothing is working in our lives i.e the right job isn’t coming along, the right man never finds us, or money never comes our way etc. Many of us even go as far as blaming luck! ‘Oh I’m so unlucky, everything is just going wrong for me’. This is absolutely nothing to do with luck but much to do with alignment. Quite simply, if we stand at the right bus stop, the bus will actually stop. It is all about aligning yourself to the opportunities which exist, and making yourself visible.

So how do you know if you’re at the right bus stop? This is a combination of knowledge and intuition. Your intuition is the yellow sign as seen at the bus stop. It is also referred to as ‘alarm bells’. For example, you may experience this when attending an interview for a job which really doesn’t interest you. You may even feel quite uncomfortable about going to the interview. Well, that’s your alarm bells ringing! If you were aligned, there would not be any alarm bells.

Knowledge derives from understanding. You can only navigate your way around the market in which you operate once you develop an understanding of it. Just like Neo in the hit movie ‘The Matrix’ who was able to manipulate the Matrix in order to gain power/ abilities to achieve his goal.

Alignment should really be taken into account when looking for a career opportunity. Especially in todays world where we have been exposed to evolving technology, and enhanced communication. It is much easier to align our skills, experience and even our personality to career goals. For example, we can attract people and opportunities through the development of an online profile using linked-in, Facebook, Twitter, or blogging. Gone are the days when trawling through jobsites, and newspapers were insured methods of finding a job. The key is to make yourself visible to the opportunity and attract it! Think about who your target audience is, and where they are. In September of this year, Experian Hitwise claimed that Facebook accounted for 49.2% of all UK Internet visits to a social networking site. So doesn’t it make sense to start utilising Facebook as a self-marketing tool to achieve your career aspirations?

Open your mind to the world of opportunity. Despite the economic downturn opportunities are abound. Simply find the right bus stop, stick your hand out, and make yourself visible!

Namaste..

X- Factor is back!

I don't generally watch television. However, each year I make a special effort to follow the X-Factor. I find it inspirational, and I absolutely love Simon Cowell! The X-Factor showcases regular people with talent although it's not always obvious in the beginning. Throughout the series we follow the contestants' journeys, and bear witness to their transformation over the course of 12 weeks. Unfortunately some of them get worse as they lose confidence, but the majority of the contestants greatly improve as their talent develops. These contestants are a joy to watch because they have realised their own talent, and proceeded to maximise their potential. Thus demonstrating the 'X-Factor". This is proof that self-belief, self-confidence, and self-worth really does work.

Last Saturday I thought that Danyl's performance was undoubtedly the best of the night, but I was disappointed when both Louis and Cheryl accused him of being 'cocky'. He's amazing and he knows it- there's nothing wrong with that! Self-belief is power which is the driving force behind personal success.

The X-Factor phenomenon has taken over the twenty-first century. Everything we do in our career, business, and even relationship is heightened by our X-factor. In the current economic climate, there are more people than there are jobs. In order to overcome the impact of this, ask yourself ' Why should anyone employ me as opposed to someone else?'. In business, ask yourself 'what difference does my product or service make to my industry? In relationships, 'what is it about me that maintains the passion?' Of course there should be some consistency in your answers across all areas of your life. Think about it..