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One day, when I was about 13 years old, I decided to spend the afternoon with another boy I knew from middle school. Spending the afternoon together essentially meant we would be riding our bikes around, visiting various stores and other kids we knew who were our age. We might also go into a convenience store or two and play some arcade games.
The guy I was spending time with, Greg, had never been particularly good at anything, as far as I knew. His dad was a plumber and his mother was very religious, and she spent a lot of time lecturing Greg on spiritual matters. He was not all that popular in school, not all that great of a student, and not all that good at athletics. In sum, he really had no distinguishing characteristics.
In fact, on that day I believe I was spending time with Greg mostly because I had nothing in particular to do. I had friends whom I considered far more interesting because they knew girls I liked, for example. I do not think Greg even knew any girls. I did not know a lot about Greg and neither did anyone else at my school. The boy was also considered a little strange because, due to his religion, his parents never let him take medicine. There were some other things that his religion required, which made Greg seem a little off in the eyes of other students. I think he may have had a health problem or two due to not having been able to take medicine while growing up.
We started our day around 11 in the morning. We went to a 7-11 and got some snacks and played video games. We rode our bikes to a mall and looked at tennis shoes at a Foot Locker. We had lunch at the food court and talked about the girls at our school. We then attempted to ride our bikes around town to see if a few people we knew might be at home. None of them were.
As I spent time with him, I got the sense that Greg was a little depressed. He did not stand up tall when he walked and he looked down when he spoke. He did not sound very animated and was not all that interesting. He often criticized other people. Notwithstanding this, I came to realize that he was actually a pretty nice person and very likable in many ways. I enjoyed his company a lot that day.
As an aside, I saw Greg several years later, after his life had changed, and he was a completely different person. He was extremely nice, more confident and likable, and he asked me lots of questions about myself. He was not the same person I had known years before.
Around four in the afternoon, we rode our bikes by a store that sold musical instruments, specifically guitars and drums. I had taken guitar lessons at the store recently and wanted to stop by to say hello and see if my teacher was there. When we walked into the store, the clerks and cashiers immediately sprung to life. All of them crowded around Greg. They knew exactly who he was, and they started asking him if he wanted a “private room” in which to play. I did not even know that Greg played an instrument, and I do not think anyone at school knew this either. Greg sheepishly said “okay” and the storekeepers took us back to a room that had a set of drums in it.
Greg began playing the drums, and it was among the most amazing things I have ever seen. He played with an incredible level of passion and skill, and in a window outside of the private room a huge group of people started to gather. I could see one of the shopkeepers on the phone looking into the room, and he appeared to be shouting into the receiver:
“He’s here right now–in room ‘A.’ Yes, I’m serious!”
After 10 minutes had passed, there were at least 15 people or so who were completely mesmerized, watching Greg play the drums. He had started singing along while he played. Greg was so talented that I became uncomfortable. I felt like I was in the presence of someone quite famous.
As Greg played, his entire disposition changed. He was extremely self-confident and he sat up straight. He hypnotized those around him. He was enthusiastic. He smiled. He was in a different zone. He was a completely different person while playing. Apparently, drums were not even his main instrument. He played guitar!
That was the last time I ever spent time alone with Greg. At the end of that school year, I transferred to another school. I heard a year later that Greg had gotten a recording contract in Los Angeles. Greg was so talented at what he did that he was sponsored, and he was moved to Los Angeles the second he was discovered. After 25 years, I looked up Greg and saw that he had a very successful music career and was internationally famous. You never know what people are capable of or who they will become.
Each of us has some sort of innate skill that we are blessed with. You have a skill. I have a skill. We all have a skill.
I wonder deep down what would have happened to Greg if he had never been allowed to play an instrument and that skill had never come out. What would have happened if he had been told what to be and his true uniqueness had never been allowed to manifest? This would have been a real tragedy, and he would never have become the person he was capable of being.
I know that if I had ever tried to pursue music at least one of my parents would have made fun of me. I would have been told that music was for “sissies” or “people who cannot get real jobs.” I am sure you have had dreams that other people have criticized. I can think of numerous dreams I have had that teachers, parents, friends, and others made fun of, and which I never pursued when I was younger.
What are you good at that needs to be shared with the world? What is your skill?
One of the greatest things about the United States is that this country is based on the idea that we can discover and make the most of our personal gifts and strengths. Under ideologies like communism and fascism, people are expected to do whatever the government tells them, and to be the person the government tells them to be. But here you can be exactly who you want to be. There is absolutely no barrier between you and your dreams.
Many people never realize who they are or what their potential is. When I look around at my own life and the lives of others, I see and hear the reasons for this:
-We are told to fit in, not to stand out.
-We are encouraged to play by the rules in order to have a stable future, rather than to challenge the rules and seek out the unique lives we want.
-We are led to believe that it is more important to be popular than to stand out and be productive.
-We are told to have goals we can meet rather than goals that challenge us.
Negative and limiting messages coming from peers, parents, bosses, coworkers, television, books, and so forth only limit us and prevent us from being the people we are capable of being, and from being the people we really want to be. My career advice is to follow what we are capable of being not the limits others give us.
I want you to be the person you are capable of being. What comes naturally and effortlessly to you? What are you best at? What makes you happy?
Each and every one of us has something that we are exceptional at. We are in a world where we can be whomever we choose to be. This is what you need to do. You need to discover who this person is and you need to be this person. There is a world out there which offers constant happiness, security, and enjoyment. This world comes into being when you begin doing what you love and are talented at.
This is what you need. When you discover this, your job and life will be enjoyable and you will do well. Concentrate on your strengths and find and be the person you want to be. God gave you certain talents for a reason. You have an obligation to use them, and to make the most of your life.
About Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes is the Founder of BCG Attorney Search and a successful legal recruiter himself. Harrison is extremely committed to and passionate about the profession of legal placement. His firm BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys. BCG Attorney Search works with attorneys to dramatically improve their careers by leaving no stone unturned in a search and bringing out the very best in them. Harrison has placed the leaders of the nation’s top law firms, and countless associates who have gone on to lead the nation’s top law firms. There are very few firms Harrison has not made placements with. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placements attract millions of reads each year. He coaches and consults with law firms about how to dramatically improve their recruiting and retention efforts. His company LawCrossing has been ranked on the Inc. 500 twice. For more information, please visit Harrison Barnes’ bio.
About BCG Attorney Search
BCG Attorney Search matches attorneys and law firms with unparalleled expertise and drive that gets results. Known globally for its success in locating and placing attorneys in law firms of all sizes, BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys in law firms in thousands of different law firms around the country. Unlike other legal placement firms, BCG Attorney Search brings massive resources of over 150 employees to its placement efforts locating positions and opportunities that its competitors simply cannot. Every legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search is a former successful attorney who attended a top law school, worked in top law firms and brought massive drive and commitment to their work. BCG Attorney Search legal recruiters take your legal career seriously and understand attorneys. For more information, please visit www.BCGSearch.com.
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Tagged: apply for a job, career advice, discover your talents, get real jobs, job search, job search guru | a harrison barnes, job search industry, legal jobs, legal profession, personal strengths, unique skills
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In this article Harrison explains how you can ensure success in your career by externalizing your opponents. Your job is like a game; if you work hard, play by the rules of the company and are seen as part of the team you will be viewed as a valuable player for the company. The most significant part of any game is the presence of an opponent. Don’t look for an opponent among your co-workers. Never speak negatively of your team members. Instead, concentrate on the external opponents. External opponents bring you and the team closer as you work towards a common goal. In order for you and your company to succeed it is important to have an external opponent. Harrison advises people to consistently work hard and not participate in the politics. This is a sure way to score big in your career.
Companies necessarily seek to employ positive, forward-minded people. A firm’s success depends on their employees, and they seek people who will enhance them rather than merely contribute to the bottom line. People with positive natures, who contribute to a healthy social environment, prove essential to the growth and success of their employers.
In this article Harrison discusses that the meaning you give to things will control the quality of your life. How we feel about ourselves is all due to what we tell ourselves certain things will mean. The meaning you give things is crucial for your career success. You need to choose meanings that make you stronger. You need to ensure you interpret things in a way that serves you and does not hurt you. You need to reach your full potential. Don’t classify yourself as someone who is not fit to succeed at the level at which you’re capable. You need to take charge of your mind to have the career and the life that you deserve.
In this article Harrison discusses the importance of ‘energy’ over technical skills. When people are hiring you they are purchasing your “energy” more than they are purchasing your technical skills. They are interested in your ability to influence the world around you through your energy. When you are marketing yourself and seeking a job, or working in a job, there are essentially two things you are marketing. You are marketing your technical skills, but more importantly you are marketing an intangible sort of energy. The most successful people have mastered the art of projecting positive energy. The better your energy, the more employable you will be and the farther you will go.
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Focus on what you are doing, not what others around you are doing. There are people to take action towards their goals, and then there people who sit on the sidelines and comment on the first group of people. People who are mostly interested in gossip and watching others usually lack the confidence and determination to take action themselves. The most successful people go account and accomplish things rather than sit back and watch others make things happen.
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Understanding what you do for a living is very important for your career. You should understand the generality of your specific profession. You and your career are a product. You need to know where and how to market yourself in the best way possible. You need to be relevant and understand the skills you are offering. Being a relevant product is essential for your success. It’s easy to be relevant when you understand what you are doing and what purpose you serve. Being relevant is more than just getting a job. Being relevant also relates to serving the employers with the skills they need. You need to understand your market and what your customers want. This is the way to stay employed, and it is also the means to continual improvement.
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Having a goal or vision will propel you towards greater career success and happiness. Without a purpose, you will find yourself depressed and ultimately fail to achieve your goals. Do not subscribe to the unrealistic problem that you should never have problems, but instead regard problems as part of your overall growth strategy.
Don’t ever give up, and make the most of the tools at your disposal. Take chances and invest in your best skills, and persist in the face of unfortunate events. Have faith in your considerable work and capabilities, and use them to create value for others.
In this article Harrison discusses what a good hiring manager should look for. Many people who make hiring decisions really do not know what they are doing. In fact, they often make mistakes when hiring. They put too much emphasis on skills and experience. But the single most important aspect of hiring is evaluating the person’s unique outlook on the world. If the person does not have a positive outlook on the world, he/she will bring down the morale of the other workers. The person will harm the company through the negative outlook. The key to success is having the power to stick it out in jobs and finding happiness wherever you are. Hiring people who do good work and are always able to find happiness should be the number one objective of hiring managers.
To reach the goals to which you aspire, you must compare yourself with people superior to you for motivation. Most people prefer to look at life the way they wish it to be, rather than as it truly is. Move out of your comfort zones and face reality. Don’t seek out or compare yourself with the average people around you, as doing so will only mire you in mediocrity rather than push you forward.
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You must plant seeds in the minds of others, so that they will be more likely than otherwise to think of you when a future need arises. In planting seeds, you are making people aware of what you have to offer; you must make sure that you are ever present in the minds of your potential employers. Planting seeds is the most effective way to generate top-of-mind awareness, and ensure that the right people remember you at the appropriate time.
Recent immigrants exemplify the benefits of willpower, passion, and excitement in the way that they work so much harder for their goals than the people who have been here for most or all of their lives. Like most Americans, you need to rekindle the spirit of your immigrant ancestors and become hungry for what you want. The entrepreneurial spirit that brought people to America has often faded over time; adopt the fire and work ethic of new immigrants in order to achieve your goals.
Determine whether you are a global or specific person. Most people are either too general or too specific in the way they treat information, and overly detail-oriented people risk losing sight of the bigger picture. General people are more comfortable in managerial positions, while detail-oriented people prefer everything to conform to a logical sequence. Understand which sort of person you are, and seek work that best harnesses your natural inclination.
In this article Harrison talks about releasing the lack that you feel, in order to reach your full potential. If a sense of lack dominates your thinking, it will affect your interaction with the world and how the world sees you. There are many areas of your life where you are coming from a position of lack. Your ability to release this lack and go forward with your life can create a tremendous sense of peace and more natural accomplishments in your world. The amount of lack that people see out there is profound and it has a massive impact on their lives. According to Harrison, the most successful people in the world see the world as a place of opportunity and not lack.
When faced with difficult times, you must develop the ability to transcend the trouble around you instead of giving up or assuming that nothing can be done about your situation. Keep your wits about you and take charge of the situation, and you will find yourself on track for constant improvement and career success.
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Very inspiring article! From where I came from, some parents still dictate the College courses their children should take. True enough, very few of them become successful. Imagine your self being forced to take a nursing course when you can’t even stand the sight of blood? Or take a Business/Marketing course when you are even too timid to approach people? I agree that we all have our own talent that needs to be shared to the world, to inspire people. Once we find that strength within us, we would shine in our chosen field/profession.
When you engage in a career for anyone but yourself you’re not happy @ Mei.
When I sworn in as an attorney in June 2008, I had the mindset that I could be successful despite receiving my license to fulfill my dreams in a recession. Granted I have been able to maintain employment as a contract attorney from the day I graduated lawschool, and despite the obvious stereotyping of being a woman, and worse yet, a 45 year young woman, I press forward to perform at the highest level – no matter what the task. But, oh how mind screams at the prospect that with all the perceived negatives about my sex, age, and the economy that employers will fail to see the passionate, loyal, outstanding attorney I can be. I pen these thoughts to you only to thank you for your on-point commentaries that give me inspiration and affirm my resolution to press forward despite the negative, weak-kneed attempts of persons to drag me down to their level. My light will shine despite the attempts to extinguish it – your hard-hitting, realist thoughts and views on being a person that practices law (or wants to), provides me personally with the resolve that I can do this as long as I am true to myself – that is the starting point. Thanks!
thanks for this article……….
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Ema
legal marketing
Mr. Barnes is awesome!