I was annoyed by an expert commentator on the radio this morning who was whining about the fact that there’s no growth in the economy, that there’ll be no growth until there is greater investment and that there’ll be no greater investment until the banks sort things out.

True perhaps but only in part. This expert’s position ignores 3 key things…

1. entrepreneurial growth doesn’t always require large scale investment, particularly from banks
2. investment in growth business often starts with private individuals (and in small scales)
3. while some people talk about growth, others are out there making it happen

The reality this expert missed is in the growth stories already out there. I can’t help thinking that some talkers need to start with a little economic re-balancing in themselves, investing a little more in their eyes and ears instead of just their cake-holes. The great businesses of tomorrow, the important employers of tomorrow – some of them are already out there.

Starting small. Re-investing revenue and profit. Building for the future. Growth.

It only takes a drop of water or a crack in the cement…
…or the humility to come down and look a little closer to the ground
[Image courtesy of Fellowship of the Rich on Flickr]

* * * * *

We’re here (and there) for anyone interested in exploring their career. To support, encourage and share in all those journeys – just starting or well underway – because we know no one really does it on their own. As with your career, there’s no guru pulling the strings in the background but there are always facts, experiences and opinions. Sometimes simple, sometimes complicated – things we can all listen to and process in our own way.

Stories from hundreds of career explorers prove that good answers and solid career decisions are available to us all. When we hit a crossroads or a rough patch it’s often stories like these that give us the nudge that becomes the hint of the idea that turns into the snippet of the precursor to the thought that’s the reason we pull or push on through.

We (along with our book The Career Explorer’s Journal) are on facebook because we believe the power of one is strongest when it’s multiplied by many. It may take time for the big numbers to come but why not join the pioneers and stop by our fb page yourself to tell us what you think and what else you’d like to see there. Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us if you want to hear more about people finding their own way and exploring their careers.

Look forward to you joining us soon!

* * * * *

Immanuel Kant said life’s three great questions are:

What ought I do?
What can I do?
What can I hope for?

Someone pointed out to me yesterday that The Career Explorer’s Journal is all about applying these three great questions to individual careers.

Values are evidence to explore ‘What ought I do?’
Talents bring ‘What can I do?’ to life
Goals create a vision of ‘What can I hope for?’

Every person and therefore every reader of the journal can map out where they stand on these three great questions.

And I’m all for discussing the experience.

Looks like a serious thinker to me…
Immanuel Kant (image courtesy of Wikipedia)

* * * * *

I am just me.
Before I was just me I was the world’s most successful CEO.
Before I was the world’s most successful CEO I was a successful executive.
Before I was a successful executive I was a great manager.
Before I was a great manager I was a hard-working member of the team.
Before I was a hard-working member of the team I was a newb.
Before I was a newb I was a jobseeker.
Before I was a jobseeker I was just me.
I am just me.

“Every career has a past, every career has a future.” (w/ apologies to O. Wilde)
[Image courtesy of dottieg2007 on Flickr.com]

* * * * *

What a day, what a location, what a buzz!

The photos can do the talking for now but I’ll be adding more to the story as we go.

The short story is that this bus will be visiting UK schools, listening to (and learning with) students, teachers, head-teachers and careers professionals to find out what they want and what they need when it comes to 14-18 year olds meeting the world of work and careers for the first time.

Everywhere it goes the CareersBuzz bus will have best-in-class people and resources on board to prove what’s possible and what can be done. Thanks to the CareersBox online library of films, many of the career and work stories the bus can share will be first hand. Thanks to SkillsExplorer, students everywhere will be able to connect with these great films (and great careers/vocations) in a completely new and personal way. And thanks to a huge partnership effort from the University of East London this brilliant bus is now on the road

There’ll more to share on all of this soon. In the meantime, get on board!

* * * * *
For more news & live updates
follow @CareersBuzz & @career_explorer
on Twitter

The big launch begins tomorrow.

After that I’ll be able to share a lot more news about what’s going on.

In the meantime, here’s the only photo I’m allowed to share,

A little piece of evidence to prove it’s all going to happen!

* * * * *
For more news & live updates
follow @career_explorer & @CareersBuzz
on Twitter

When the voice inside says “you can’t“, it makes all the difference in the world to hear someone or something else say “you can“.

Support and encouragement comes from other people and it comes from within.

Either way it makes us feel ready, feel confident, feel lucky even.

Lucky we have someone or something to inspire us.

Why Will.i.am is inspired to make cars…

If another person ever encouraged or got behind you, I don’t need to explain what a difference it makes.

Support like this happens for a reason. Quite often because that other person saw something good, perhaps even something special in you.

Whatever the reason, they made it their business to be on your side.

- – -

It won’t always be easy but I think it’s always possible to find support and encouragement for your career. The positive voice that speaks to you – and only you – is out there somewhere.

Sometimes it can sound like a stuck record (or at first even make you feel sick) but some people find it hard to give up.

Not giving up says a great deal about them, except when you’re the one they’re not giving up on.

That’s when it says even more about you.

All the best for now,

Paul

* * * * *

Where advice is stale, experience is alive
Where advice is indirect, experience is personal
Where advice is inspired, experience is inspirational
Where advice is one-size-fits-all, experience is unique.

While advice is heard, experience is felt
While advice is vague, experience is real
While advice is received, experience is lived
While advice is followed, experience is created.

Experience is at the heart of every achievement and every career.

Another experiential creation
[Image courtesy of basheertome on Flickr.com]

* * * * *

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
to career explorers everywhere!

All the very best for 2012

Paul

* * * * *

For Willy Loman’s back-story, read or watch
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

ACT ONE

The scene is a small careers office, perhaps in downtown New York
A new caller, Willy Loman, is buzzed through

WILLY: [friendly, upbeat] Well Hello Paul, it sure is swell to meet you.
PAUL: Hello Willy, good to meet you too.
WILLY: Not sure why but my boss, Howard, said we should meet. Are you a new buyer from upstate? How long you gonna be in town? What’s your business Paul?
PAUL: Sorry to disappoint you Willy, I’m not a buyer I’m a Career Consultant.
WILLY: [sceptical but still warm] A career what? Doesn’t sound like any job I ever heard of. I’m a salesman see. Quite a big-shot in New England.
PAUL: [impressed] Sounds like interesting work.
WILLY: Oh, it’s interesting all right, I can’t think of anything better. Being a salesman means I’m well liked. I get to call on people all over, and I’m helping them all the time. You can’t beat the feeling of being on the road. Why, I’ll drive us up to Boston one day, you’ll see for yourself. Whadd’ya say?
PAUL: I think I’d like that. So Willy, do you mind if I ask why you think Howard wanted us to meet?
WILLY: Not sure I can help you there Paul. All Howard gave me was your name, this address and a time to call by.
PAUL: What if you had to guess what Howard wanted?… And by the way, if it makes us even, Howard never told me anything about you either. He just said someone with your name would show up.
WILLY: Well I guess that evens the score, but I’m not much for guessing games. Why don’t you tell me why you reckon Howard set us up?
PAUL: We’re even alright, and I’m happy to tell you what I think. I think Howard wants you to know where you stand.
WILLY: [defensively] Now hold on a minute! Whadd’ya mean by saying something like that?
PAUL: Sorry Willy, I don’t mean anything by it. You asked what I think. I think maybe Howard has seen things get harder for the people in his company recently and he wanted to do something to help.
WILLY: [rising anger] Well you can tell Howard I don’t need his help. I’m doing just fine, and… and I’ve been doing fine long before he was around. Better than fine just so you know. D’you know it was me who opened up New England for Frank when Howard was still a babe in arms? I even helped Frank choose Howard as a name goddammit!
PAUL: Were things much different back then? I mean with work, in New England?
WILLY: Different? Are you kidding? Everything was different back then. I had buyers in towns everywhere who knew my name. Just just waiting for me to call… And it wasn’t Frank or Howard they called on, it was me, Willy Loman. My name stood for something back then. It opened all kinds of doors. Mayors had coffee with me… Talked about town and state affairs. I could park on any street in New England and the cops looked out for me. Everything was different back then.
PAUL: So what are things like now?
WILLY: Now!? I’m on the road twice as long to sell a quarter of the same. Most of the buyers I helped for years have helped themselves to retirement. Howard took over from Frank – the old man and me, we had a deal see. He said there was always room for me here in New York if ever I needed to take it easy. When the house was all paid up, y’know? But, ah… I reckon I could live with all this if they hadn’t took it away from me. Took it away after more than thirty years.
PAUL: Took what away Willy?
WILLY: My salary.
PAUL: Oh. Guess that makes things tough for you right now.
WILLY: [sounding beat] I ain’t told you the half of it yet. Not even half.

* * * * *

It’s nearly Christmas and what better time
to celebrate a great story and remind ourselves
just how far we’ve come.

Thanks to everyone who has read & supported
EYC here, on Twitter and in the real world too.

Best Wishes for the Season!
Paul

* * * * *