Friday, March 16, 2007

Finally Friday.



So how do you deal with Resistance? Read on.

So DH (dear husband) comes home last night with news of the impending contract negotiations at work (no, he's not union, but his company has contracts for their work) and it still could go either way, but he was a little worried. This means we'll a) be finding a job at another company here in the Seattle area to try and stay here, b) be moving farther north, or c) moving out of state.

Of course, we want the contract to be renewed for another however long span of time, because we want to stay here. But as we sat on our couch and talked about it, I realized something else about Resistance and its cure.

DH has to turn pro. Right now! No waiting for his company or the hiring company to tell us of their decision. They don't decide our fate, do they?

That's the main antidote to Resistance: turning pro.

You know, Tiger Woods wins lots of golf tournaments. So back in the day a few years ago, he was competing at the Masters (this story told in War of Art by Steven Pressfield) and he was set to tee off and a fan flashed his camera right in Tiger's line of sight (from behind the spectator's rope, obviously, but still!) and Tiger had to stop mid-swing. He gave the guy a look (of death, I would think) and stepped back to gather his concentration. Then, 25 seconds after being interrupted by the fan, Tiger tees off and hits the ball 310 yard down the line. (Nate, did I get all that golf lingo right? Hope so.)

Anyway, how did Tiger put his head back in that game in 25 seconds? (I would take me much longer, I know that for sure.)

By being a pro at his game. It didn't matter what anyone did, said, or though about him. He was going forward (with his face set like flint) with his plan, his goals, and his mindset firmly in stone in his mind's eye.

And so I told DH, "We're so foolish! All this time we've been concentrating on me going pro and all my plans and we forgot that you need to do it too!"

And then we came up with a next-action plan to put into place immediately. Resumes that have been requested from other top companies in the area that we haven't sent, a request from his boss's boss to reimburse his school expense (up through his master's) that needs to be sent in (even though it's moot if the contract negotiation fails), and finding out who are the "head hunters" in the area for his specialty and who's hiring right now. And then posting his resume on job boards and getting in touch with every company within commuting distance to find out what's available. That's pro. That's PRO-active. That's what Monster.com means when it says "never settle."

And so, dear reader, this week has brought an epiphany of sorts into my life. When I get people bugging the heck out of me, even well-meaning friends and colleagues who do not have my best interests at heart and want me to stay "just like them" so they are comfortable, I go pro. It does not matter if your boss refuses to support you or there are no people who "understand" you, it only matters that you do your thing. You go Pro. You aim for the stars anyway.

Next week will be interesting. I'll make sure and post how things come down.

Happy St. Patrick's day tomorrow!

Onward.

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