Career | The Career Pioneer | Motivation to help you change careers or start a business you'll love

Listen to Your Inner Voice

Has there ever been a time in your life when you pushed through to accomplish a goal, but it seemed you were getting no where fast? Perhaps during that time, you had a number of people around you who, in their attempts to offer sound advice, only threatened to thwart your agenda. You knew you could do it, but the well-meaning voices surrounding you seemed to stifle and inhibit your gut intuition. In the end, you stopped pursuing your dream, and resorted to that little, "safe" place in your … [Read more...]

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Leave a Comment

I love songs that encourages a state of mind that supersedes life's circumstances and challenges. It's amazing how music can alter a mood, lift spirits, and dramatically change one's outlook on careers and life. I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. I asked her whether she liked her job, in which she quickly replied: "I'm just happy I have a job!" She went on to explain how she used to complain and grumble due to her work conditions or overall dissatisfaction with her role, but in … [Read more...]

Seven Steps to Kick Job Dissatisfaction

3 Comments

Let’s face it. Even with the unemployment rate jumping above a whopping 10 percent, as reported today, job dissatisfaction is still running rampant and folks are looking for a way out of their existing 9-to-5s. If unhappiness and disgruntlement are getting the best of you. I’ll offer some tips and probing questions that will hopefully help you assess where your allegiance really lies, and that will hopefully help you see your current gig and the future a little more positively. But first … [Read more...]

Get What You Can, While You Can!

2 Comments

Yesterday, I attended the funeral of Ms. Amanda Lloyd -- my husband's grandmother. As funerals would go, it began and ended with a mostly somber and reflective undertone. Even though she reached 90 years of age, and had suffered from several medical issues in most recent years, it was still difficult to see her be laid to rest and to say "farewell," particularly among immediate family members. We had to travel about three hours to attend the funeral. As the day ended, my husband and I, along … [Read more...]

Your Dream Career Awaits, Start Here

12 Comments

A few months ago (literally) I sat on my couch pouting about how I wanted to more aggressively pursue my writing dreams and gain greater traction in the publishing world. But then I realized (with the help of some trusted friends, and lots of trust and prayer) that if I fail to take a step of faith and actually put myself out there to claim my destiny, then how in the world was I ever going to accomplish my life-long goals? After mustering some courage, I got rid of the self-doubt and … [Read more...]

When Negative Voices Crowd Out the Positive  

Leave a Comment

I had a great conversation with a friend last weekend. We talked about some of our latest business ventures, and she shared with me how some of the people who she thought would be supportive, were in fact, the complete opposite. Usually, when starting something new --whether it’s a new job, business venture, or new career track altogether -- you’ll likely find that the people closest to you, particularly best friends and family members, are generally in your corner, rooting you along the way, … [Read more...]

“What to Say When You Talk to Yourself” 

2 Comments

When I first saw the above-mentioned title of a book about “powerful new techniques to program your potential for success,” I have to admit that I was a bit of a skeptic. The book was written by Shad Helmstetter, an acclaimed psychologist, who champions the idea that you can improve your outlook, focus your plans, and stay on top, in touch and going for your dreams and any other life aspirations, simply by reprogramming your thoughts. His strategy is simple: adopt techniques of what he … [Read more...]

Belief Is Just the Beginning 

4 Comments

Courtesy of The Providence Effect/ Dinosaurs

Over the weekend, my husband and I went to the movie theater to watch the documentary The Providence Effect. The movie chronicles the journey of Paul J. Adams III, a black man with activist roots in the 1960’s civil rights movement, whose mission was to turn Providence St. Mel, located on Chicago’s west side, into a “first rank college preparatory school, and its African-American student body into a corps of driven, disciplined, high achieving students.” Inspiration It was inspiring to … [Read more...]

Got a Job? Give a Job. Four simple things you can do today to help the unemployed. 

Leave a Comment

These days, especially in times of economic downturn and as available jobs dry out, it seems that everybody’s only looking out for themselves. But what if we all took personal responsibility for our fellow jobless professional and saw to it that they had ample opportunities ahead? It might be absurd to think that you (yes, you!) could actually award another human being a job or career. After all, you’re not the founder of your own company, or the CEO of another business; and you don’t even … [Read more...]

The Working Mom’s (and Dad’s) Dilemma 

2 Comments

Today, I received in my email inbox what was practically a cry for help. The author of the email (who will remain nameless) desperately needed some advice on whether to leave a lucrative, relatively stable job working for the federal government, in exchange for staying at home with her four beautiful children (including a newborn). As a brand new mom myself, I could certainly understand her dilemma, which I have shared here previously at TheCareerPioneer.com. With just one month remaining … [Read more...]

Have Your Childhood Dreams Escaped? “The Last Lecture” Puts It All In Perspective

Leave a Comment

If you haven’t heard the story of Dr. Randy Pausch, who received national attention when he began appearing on numerous television shows including Oprah last year, then you should especially stay tuned into today’s post. Randy Pausch was a professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University. He had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer when he was asked to deliver his famous “last lecture.” Nearly 400 students attended the lecture … [Read more...]

Who’s Got Yo’ Back?

4 Comments

Please excuse the grammatical no-no in the title. But this is a very important post (as the rest of them are.) Who has your back in your career? Who’s in your corner when you need some advice, insight, support in pursuing your dreams when times are low, or who gives you that extra push off the ledge into facing your fears? Who would you consider as a mentor or supportive friend? Today, I had a very encouraging conversation with a good friend, Monique McDowell, whom I first connected with … [Read more...]

Courage Soup for the Chicken Soul 

2 Comments

Did you know that chickens populate this earth more than any other type of bird, clocking in at 24 billion in the world as of 2003? It’s no wonder then that so many of us humans resemble the domesticated foul when it comes to cowardliness in our careers and in pursuing our life dreams. Did you also know that domestic chickens are incapable of long-distance flight? Chickens will sometimes fly to explore their surroundings, but usually do so only to flee perceived danger. As a high schooler, … [Read more...]