When preparation meets opportunity it's often called 'luck'. We could all use more 'luck' and we can swing the odds in our favor by preparing to win moment by moment.
In helping people who are dealing with Job Loss and other Big Life Transistions I've learned to coach them to run on two rails as they prepare for the next stage of life. Rail #1 is Seeking God as our First Resource rather than a Last Resort and diving into a full-on relationship with Him where we realize that God himself is the prize our hearts seek--nothing more is truly needed and nothing less will do. Rail #2 WORK and PREPARE so well that you know that you deserve to win when your opportunity presents itself. Take your God Given talents, abilities, gifts, and strengths and hammer them into refined muscular steel when you are in the 'off-season' so that when you're called to get back out there that you'll KNOW all the way down to your core that not only do you deserve playing time, but that you deserve to win.
Life is NOT a DIY Project (Do-It-Yourself) and, so we need to cooperate with God in re-creating a new future by waiting with Him and for Him. However, as we wait on God to move on our behalf we need to PREPARE.
How can we prepare when we're in transition?
1. Exercise--get your heart pumping and your brain fueled with Oxygen so you can think clearly
2. Get around some positive people who build you up (AND, get away from the 'neggies')
3. Hire a Life Coach who is an Authentic Christ Follower
4. Seek God Moment by Moment -- read The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
5. Have a heart to heart with your significant others and let em know that you need their positive input to make this go and that right now is not the time to remind you of what a loser you are....(often spouses are very guilty of wiping out the other spouse with subtle cues that they really are a loser and they'll always be a loser....POWERFUL messages that can be like a 5,000 pound boat anchor on a bass boat) [btw, I'm not saying that you are a loser, but we often slap that label on ourselves when we've lost a job or taken a serious career hit]
6. Learn Like Your Life Depends On It [it does] Ramp up hard here as a key way to prepare so that you'll know at your core that you deserve to win when your next chance comes. You can learn in all kinds of ways for free or nearly so like:
- The Public Library
- Online Forums, blogs, magazines
- Itunes offers all kinds of classes for free or very little $ so you can listen your way to success
- Turn your car into a mobile university and listen to Podcasts related to areas where you need to grow - stop wasting hours each week being brain dead. You can't afford Idle Brain Syndrome anymore--pump it full of great powerful insights and information....PREPARE
8. Get active Spiritually by finding a Christ Centered church and connecting with some positive productive people there by getting involved in a small group.
9. Dive into your Bible and start learning more. (there are several online Bibles where you can start learning and you can go to the Bible Basics Blog to find a crew to grow with)
10. Write your 'Future Story' -- a vivid detailed 'smoke filled' description of the future you most desire. I say 'smoke filled' because a well written future story will make your mouth water like the smoke wafting from a hot grill loaded with juicy steaks. Begin writing the story of what you'd like your future to feel like, and how you'll invest your time and with whom and for what great cause. This will be the fuel for hard days of preparation and waiting.
11. Be consistent day in and day out as you prepare to win and wait on God and perhaps your chance will come. And, the longer it takes the more prepared you will be.
12. Overlearn in your field of choice and become a junkie who can talk the smack so that when the opportunity comes in the form of a business to launch or a job to interview for you'll be ready to win.
13. Get active in Online Forums and other venues where professionals in your field are hanging out online.
14. Build out your Social Networking Capital at LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and whatever other new opportunities come up next. Get active and connected. Don't just sit there...do something!!
15. Call old friends and catch up. Be truly interested in them and what's happening with them rather than just blathering on about your own situation. Yes, do tell them, but be more interested in learning about them than telling about you.
By the way, these same steps can be used to make you more resilient and bulletproof when chance comes your way. So, if you still have a great career the same advice applies. Connect to God vitally and OverPrepare.
Rooting for YOU,
Jeff Fuson
p.s. I'm on Twitter at JeffFuson if you wanna keep up with what's going on that way.
Jeff Fuson is a Leadership Keynote Speaker who serves as Point Leader for Phos Hilaron Church near Louisville Kentucky. Jeff's # 1 passion is being a husband and daddy. A close second is seeing people grow spiritually. As a Professional Speaker Jeff delivers Leadership Keynote Speeches & training events for Leaders, Executives, Supervisors, Entrepreneurs in Government, Banks, Credit Unions, NonProfits and other cutting edge enterprises. He's got one incredible wife and 3 awesome children.
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