Your New Companion – Creativity

“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten – the same result.” That is the definition of insanity and in this insane economy, you better have some relative sanity to combat the foolishness. Whether you are employed or unemployed, creativity and out of box thinking should become your favorite companions.

For those of you who are employed, you must be focused on preparation and planning. What will you do, if your job was gone tomorrow? Everything looks great today. No layoffs or very few in your organization. Everyone seems relatively happy despite the economy. The business leaders have assured everyone that all jobs are secure, and no layoffs are expected. But then tomorrow comes and all of a sudden you find yourself without work. Your job is gone in a moment. Now what? What do you do next? What is the first thing you should do if you lose your job unexpectedly? Shout!?! Celebrate!?! Cry?! What is the right response? If you are waiting for a response from me, I don’t have the answer for YOU!

For each of us the response will be different. However, I will say this, be prepared. Have a plan. Write some things down that you would like to do. Evaluate where you are in life and what you want to do next, when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe everything is great in your world, but a day is coming in the not to distant future where you may need to answer the question. Be prepared to answer it, so that you don’t have to go insane, thinking that you have to do the same thing you’ve been doing only to get to the same place you may find yourself. Everything about jobs, hiring, career planning, and even the jobs that we do today and the way we do them is changing.

For those who are unemployed, creativity and out of the box thinking will help you move out of your comfort zone and move to action. You will find a way to generate an income. You will shift your perspective on the state of the union at your house. Out of the box thinking means that the word “no” is only a speed bump to your destination. You are not moved by the economic climate. You are willing to evaluate all the possibilities for employment and generating income and when the possibilities run out, start a new list. Creative thinking involves breaking out of one pattern in order to create a new one. That is what it will take for you to get different results in the midst of your job search.

According to Friday Reflections, all too often, we become ensnared by the familiar. We make rules based on the reasons that make sense to us. Then we follow these rules. As time moves forward and things change, we typically remain the same. And the reasons for the way we do what we do may no longer make sense but we are stuck in the cycle of how we always do what we do. In this insane economy, give yourself permission to be creative, and to think outside the box.

Brainstorm some creative ways to find a job. Brainstorm a strategy for keeping your job if you are employed. And be prepared for a different result no matter what happens.

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