Career Opportunity

Can You Become a Hygienist if You Are a Dental Assistant?

Can you be more than a dental assistant, say a dental hygienist? Yes! As a dental assistant, you have many options for professional growth and to expand in your career. Being an assistant to a dentist is a great start to see whether going into the dental field is right for you or not.

If you’re a dental assistant now and want to make the transition to becoming a dental hygienist, you are one step ahead! Being a dental assistant now gives you the experience of being in a dental environment where you are continually being exposed to challenges and learning experiences a textbook can’t teach, not to mention the observations you make working alongside the dentist. The transition is smooth since you already obtain knowledge from your work environment other students may lack and have acquired skillsets necessary to make you a successful hygienist.

Being a dental hygienist means you’re moving towards a more dental field than a dental assistant might. Your responsibilities and tasks will become more independent and advance as you engage one-on-one with patients and focus in the dental area. There is more hands-on with cleaning a patient’s teeth if it’s something you are looking forward to doing. The perks of being a dental hygienist are an increase in pay and a more flexible schedule if that’s what you are in search for, a balance between your work and life.

So, what are the requirements of becoming a dental hygienist? You will need to earn an AA degree in dental hygiene and complete licensing examinations specific to the state you inhabit. Some programs for dental hygiene require 2 to 4 years of schooling depending on where you decide to go. What are you waiting for to further advance your career? You have the knowledge and have established an understanding of what it’s expected within a dental environment, take the leap and become a dental hygienist today!    

 

Key to Success, How to Take Calculated Risks

How can we continue to succeed without potentially risking everything? Tony Robbins mentioned an interview before that successful people have two things common: not losing money and asymmetrical reward. Asymmetrical reward is another way of how wealthy people weigh their options of risks and rewards which we can apply to succeed. The key to success is taking calculated risks with minimal risks and maximum positive outcomes, in others words rewards!

Wealthy, successful people do not get lucky overnight. There is more to taking a risk than just plunging yourself into an opportunity. It involves a lot of research and diligence to know and understand the chances of success are higher than failure. Three obstacles we might face when trying to calculate the risks involved the presence of fear, no fear, and emotions.

Sometimes we can confuse our level of fear with the level of risk we might face. The fear we might be feeling can cloud our judgment and overestimate the risk of an opportunity. However, when there is no fear present we can quickly be taken by the excitement and underestimate the risk because we overestimate our abilities and chances of success. There needs to be a balance in our fear and being able to distinguish whether our fear is getting in the way of making logic judgments. Our emotions can be a problem when calculating risks. It’s important to assess the level of risks by looking at the facts which consist of the pro and cons and potential risks and benefits that can come from taking the opportunity. Yes, it’s essential to have our emotions invested but do so keeping a level head. But how can we make calculated risks? Here are few tips to help you calculate potential risks to find success.

Understand the details: knowing and understanding the little details about your decision. This requires research, lots and lots of research to identify potential outcomes of the opportunity you are to take. What the benefits of taking the opportunity? How long will you have to wait to see results? What or how much might you risk and at what ratio? This the time to ask questions you have and to find answers. It’s about assessing the situation before you can make the final decision.

Anticipate Mistakes: a crucial part of making a decision is anticipating the pitfalls and accounting for them. Recognize where there can be mistakes and focus on those to help you weigh out whether you should make the decision or not.

Set Short-term Goals: not all opportunities will have results right away which is crucial to set checkpoints to keep you on track and to follow up. Initially, you want to make sure you have set short-term goals in place before deciding to be able to pinpoint where the highest level of risk is and if you can tolerate it.

Be Ready to Pivot and Willing: when comes to taking risks, you have to be prepared or handle what happens. Being able to know in advance the potential downsides can help you develop and cope when it goes sour. You have to be willing to make adjustments if something doesn’t go as according to plan; it’s like rolling with the punches by acting quickly with precision to keep yourself afloat.

Learning When to Say No: the word “no” is your friend! You can be a great idea thinker, but you can’t always jump on every idea you have. You have to learn when to say yes and when to say no. It’s a vital skill to gain from both a personal and professional aspect. If you say yes to everything, you might miss the chance of saying yes to better opportunities or ideas. Saying yes means you have to assess the opportunity and thought you plan on pursuing which is why you need to know as much as you can.

Taking the Leap: learning to leap when it feels right is the last significant step you have to do. If you have done your diligence and intensive research and you feel good about the opportunity or idea then take the leap. Take the risk after you have calculated the potential loss and rewards. You want to make sure you have the facts before jumping, but you also want to ensure you agree with your decision.

Always assess your opportunity and calculate the potential downsides before making a final decision. Remember you can’t be afraid to fail, how else can you learn to improve and to succeed if fear dedicates the risks you take. You want to find a balance between your emotions and logic as you evaluate every detail to understand everything before making your final decision. Step out of your comfort zone and take calculated risks to find the success you want.  

 

Which Traits Are the Most Common Among Successful People?

Success, we all have different definitions of what it is and what it means. For some it’s about wealth and money; however, there are other aspects to what makes us successful in life. One thing is certain, success doesn’t come overnight, and there’s no one single path to it. Whatever we aim towards in life, personally or professionally, we aren’t guaranteed to avoid failure to succeed. We can, on the other, learn what key traits successful people have that we might struggle with or lack and how we can apply the same discipline in our lives.

Some common core traits we can find in successful people are:

Enthusiasm

Successful people show great passion towards their work because they love what they do and are more likely to gravitate towards others who display the same energy and self-confidence. Being enthusiastic about projects is key to achieving what you set out do or want.

Inquisitive and Self-Aware

They know learning doesn’t stop after formal education. There is always room to learn and understand to access tools and resources needed to reach a goal. There will be times where we will have to seek help which it’s okay to do. We need to learn and know our abilities and limitations to focus on the things we excel in while leaving other jobs to people with different talents and knowledge.

Goal-Orientated

Success doesn’t just happen; we have to work for it. A task or project is always easier when it’s broken down into smaller pieces. Setting goals helps eliminate high expectations and unrealistic standards. Successful people plan for how they want life to pan out, and goals drive that plan to a reality.

Self-Discipline

This is very critical to staying focused and on task. Did you know successful people are awake before the sunrise? It’s an interesting fact once you think about it and how early mornings can set the tone of the day and your productivity. Focusing isn’t just one the aspects to self-discipline, accountability plays a role in self- discipline since at the end of the day we are responsible for our accomplishments and failures first.

Hard-Working

Success people know to succeed they must be willing to put in the hours and effort. We have to be ready to dedicate quality, focus time, or skill that will make us an expert. Hard-working is a must, and yes, there will be times where sacrifices will have to made for achievements.

Persistence

With hard work, we must persist even if we fail. Failing comes before success, and we can’t have one without the other. The urge to quit or move on because of a failure is universal when we fail over and over again; however, successful people persist after failing by learning and moving on to make adjustments instead of dwelling on a setback.

Risk-Taker

Successful people know they have to go all in and commit wholeheartedly without any holdbacks. It’s about learning to take calculated risks and if we fail, learning to take time from our mistakes before proceeding.

Good Communicator and Delegator

Communication is crucial for any project or when working with others. We have to be able to communicate and articulate ideas especially to others efficiently. Delegation is integral to your success and that of a company. Entrusting someone can be hard even more so when it has to deal with your project but knowing how to delegate is key to success. Learning what to let go and outsource is what enables successful people to focus on what is important to them and can be done by them. Shouldering everything is a risk, we can’t overestimate our capabilities. We are human and need breaks besides we don’t want to burn out.

Adaptability

They understand change is inevitable and are going to have to roll with the punches if a change occurs. They find ways, methods, coping mechanisms, and deal with new challenges when they present with changing circumstances. This is a valuable skill to apply for our personal and professional environment.

How many of these traits do you have? Are there some traits you can adopt into your life that can lead you to your success? Success is more than money; it’s about accomplishing what you set out to do for yourself and is meaningful to you. So before you think about giving up or trying, ask yourself what changes you can make to help on your path of success. Let us know what works for you or if you have specific traits that attribute to your success in the comments below!   

 

Is Dental Administration an Up and Coming Career Path?

If you have a friendly, outgoing personality, organizational ability and you haven’t considered a career in Dental Administration, perhaps you should! Let’s look at what it has to offer as a vocation.
• People! – If you are a ‘people person’, then you would love Dental Administration. A busy dental office can see dozens of people each day from all walks of life. As the Administrator, you are often the first person a patient interacts with and the last person they see as they prepare to leave the office.
• Power – LOL, wouldn’t we all like to be a little more powerful? The Dental Administrator often knows more about running the dental office than the dentist does. If you thrive on responsibility, then you have the makings of an effective Dental Administrator.
• Variety – While a Dental Administrator will spend a lot of time at a computer station, there is a lot going on at that station. Patients are welcomed and seated, they consult you regarding their treatment and payments, and the dental staff comes to you for all kinds of advice and help in comprehensive patient care. I am not sure it is possible to become bored in this fast-paced position.
• Pay – In 2016 dental office receptionists were earning a median hourly wage of $14 per hour while dental office managers were able to earn a whopping $20 per hour. Not bad for a position you can train for in as little as 12 weeks.

What exactly does a Dental Administrator do each day? What are the responsibilities? Let’s take a look at some:
1. Building patient relationships
2. Marketing and branding of the dental practice
3. Training and development of personnel
4. Scheduling appointments
5. Answering phone calls
6. Patient billing
7. Medical Coding
8. Insurance verification
9. Ordering dental and office supplies
We have briefly discussed the nature of the job and listed the tasks and responsibilities. It might interest you to know what other job opportunities you may qualify for once you have trained and qualified as a Dental Administrator.
Receptionist – While you will be trained specifically for dental office reception with its unique language and rules, this training can easily transfer to receiving patients at any medical office setting.
Appointment Coordinator – The value of keeping the dental chairs filled cannot be over-stated. An education in Dental Administration teaches you how to schedule appointments and keep the practice busy and successful.
Office Administrator – Dental practices need a personable, responsible, intelligent person running the office so the dentists, hygienists, and assistants can focus on patient care.
Customer service representative – Dental insurance companies need staff that understand dental procedures and language. Your training as a Dental Administrator provides you with the knowledge to succeed in this position.
Dental Insurance Coder and Dental Claims Specialist – These are two additional positions within the dental insurance field that may interest you.
As you can see, training in Dental Administration opens several career paths. As of this writing, there are hundreds of positions available in Utah. Is Dental Administration an up and coming career path? I would say so.

 

 

Which Jobs Have the Biggest Pay Raise?

Do you think about a new job opportunity or change in career direction? If you are, what are you considering before making the switch or seizing the job opportunity? Our focus might be brought to the beginning salary, but it’s crucial for us to consider the long-term potential of the job we choose. The medium base pay of the job is different from the year-over-year pay growth and is an aspect of the job we need to focus on. There are jobs with a high pay at the start but has a limited mobility upward where there’s slow growth. Some high paying jobs are associated with low pay growth, and low paying jobs are associated with high pay growth; however, not all jobs fall into this pattern.

In Glassdoor’s Local Pay Reports, they highlight 14 career industries that show the medium base pay and the year-over-year (YOY) pay employees or prospective employees can experience. For example, the medium base pay of a human resources manager is $68,100 which is relatively high compared to what a recruiter makes, $50,491. However, a recruiter will see a 4.8% pay growth year over year than the manager who will be seeing a 1.1%. This kind of pay growth can provide stability in an occupation if that’s what you aim to have. Regarding what jobs have the big high raise, according to cnbc, jobs with the big raise are:

  1. Recruiter with a 6.5% YOY
  2. Barista with a 6.4% YOY
  3. Restaurant Cook with a 5.8% YOY
  4. Bank Teller with a 5.3% YOY
  5. Claims Adjuster with a 4.8% YOY
  6. Truck Driver with a 4.3% YOY
  7. Delivery Driver with a 4.3% YOY
  8. Pharmacy Technician with a 3.9% YOY  
  9. Warehouse Associate with a 3.7% YOY
  10. Construction Worker with a 3.9% YOY

It doesn’t mean you have to choose a career from the list above or have to go into that specific industry. Not all occupations have the same wage since no job is alike. Other factors contribute to the salary. So before choosing another opportunity or career, you might want to look at all aspects of the job from the starting pointing of when you will begin to the future of what the profession will have in store for you. Learn as much as you can about your field and the occupation you want to have; it is better to know going in than not. Assessing yourself and asking yourself what you want and expect from your career is one way of knowing your expectations. Do you think knowing what the potential pay growth year-over-year will make a difference in choosing your career or accepting a job opportunity? Let us know in the comments below!

 

10 Things to Never Tell your Coworkers

You have probably made friends at the office, and you guys talk about everything. You want to become friends, and the best way to do that is to get to know each other. But what are some things that you should never say to a co-worker?

This advice comes from Liz Ryan, a contributor to Forbes for career advice. Here are the ten things she says you should never, ever tell to your co-workers.

You can access her article here.

 

1. That You Hate Your Job

If you tell your co-workers that you hate your job, it will only bring in a bunch of negativity that they don’t need. The world is negative enough. Some of your co-workers may really love their jobs and could be upset that you think the job sucks. It’s their life, and they probably don’t want to hear you talk bad about it.

 

2. Don’t Tell Your Co-Workers That You Dislike Your Manager

If you talk bad about your manager to a coworker it could spread around and because you are the source, you could get in trouble. It’s not very likely that your friend would tell the manager that you dislike them, but if word spreads and someone is trying to get an advantage on you, they will use what you said as leverage against you.

 

3. Don’t Tell Anyone You are Job Hunting

Again, if you talk about your job hunt and how it is going, then that could create some chaos in the office. Liz says that “you can tell your coworkers when you accept a new position. Until then, say nothing.”

 

4. Don’t Tell Coworkers About Your Financial Situation

Telling coworkers about how well or how poor you are doing is not going to go well. If you are doing well, then some coworkers may get jealous and think they deserve a raise or think that you are making more money than them. If you are struggling at the moment then its likely that people will talk about it around the office. You don’t want to people gossiping about your financial situation or what steps you are taking to become debt free.

 

5. Don’t Tell Your Coworkers That You Are Better Than Your Job

If you believe that you are working a job that is not challenging you enough or that is too easy for you try to not talk about it. You may hurt a coworkers feelings because they will assume that you are better than them and other people around the office may talk badly about you. They may not think you are better than that job because of jealousy or resentment and try to drag you down. Don’t give them the opportunity to do that. If you really feel that you could get a better, more challenging job, then try your best and don’t let anyone hurt the dreams you are trying to full fill for yourself.

6. Don’t Talk About Career Plans if They Mean Leaving That Job

Talking about your future plans that don’t involve the company could make your manager feel like you are not doing your best. It could incline them to feel like you are slacking off or that you don’t care about the job you have even though you do because those plans are just future plans.

 

7. If You are Dating a Coworker, Keep it Hush

If the relationship builds to the point that it’s serious and pretty stable, then it’s okay to tell your coworkers. Make sure that you also let your manager know who you are dating and that it is serious. If your company has a no dating policy, then you should adhere to the policy, so you don’t lose your job.

 

8. Don’t Tell Your Coworkers That Headhunters Call You Frequently

If you are in doing well in your career and getting job offers from other companies, then don’t tell your coworkers. Liz says that “It’s no one’s business but yours, and if your teammates aren’t getting calls from recruiters they might get jealous. That would not be good for your team’s mojo!”

 

9. Don’t Talk About Breaking the Rules

If you are breaking company rules, don’t talk about it to your coworkers. This could come back to bite you in the butt when its time for a raise or a promotion. You don’t want that, and your coworkers don’t need to know. The example used in the article is “taking a sick day when you are not really sick” so if you are doing things like this then don’t talk about it. If you feel that you are breaking a lot of company rules because you are unhappy, then it may be time for a new job. But remember to keep the job hunt to yourself.

 

10. Don’t Talk About Your Plan to Transfer to Another Department

What Liz said here is perfect, so I am just going to quote her.

“Keep quiet about your plans to transfer to another department. Somebody in your work group will have a bad day before long and that’s when they will tell your manager ‘Guess who wants to leave your department, and hasn’t told you?'”

The overall goal of not talking about these things is to try and ensure that you have a happy and healthy work environment. People sabotage themselves at work all the time and its best to not do that. Especially if you are applying for other jobs. Its good to not bash or talk negatively about the company you worked for because then the hiring manager will thing that you would do the same to that company.

One last piece of advice that she shares is that it depends on the company you work for.

“The healthier your environment, the less you have to worry about a stray comment making its way to the wrong person’s ears and causing you strife.

The worse the environment, the more tight-lipped you have to be with your coworkers.

If things get so bad at your workplace that you can’t safely talk about much beyond the weather, that’s a sure sign it’s time to go!”

I hope that you enjoyed this article and let us know what you think in the comments!

What You Should Do in Your Twenties; Advice from a Successful Entrepreneur

career, career opportunity

If you haven’t heard of Gary Vaynerchuk, then you may be missing out on some great advice for your life and business. On top of being a successful entrepreneur, he is also a social media influencer and is commonly known for arbitraging the market with his social ideas. If you are not looking to become an entrepreneur that is totally fine! But I wanted to talk about a video he created about The Greatest Years of Your Life, What to do After College; and I believe that what he has to say is really important, so I wanted to share some of the ideas he talks about in the video.

If you want to access the video, you can watch it below (he does use vulgar language so be prepared for a few swear words).

 

These Next 5-Years Are the Easiest (and Greatest) in Your Life

He states that after college or around age 22 that these are the easiest years of your life. Yes you may have student loans, car loans, and those things are tough, but you are not nearly tied down as much as you will be when you are 40. You don’t have kids yet, you don’t have a family to take care of, and you don’t have a house payment. You aren’t married yet and you don’t have a bunch of promises to fulfill. Some 20-year-old’s do have some of these responsibilities, but for the most part, most of you don’t have these limitations yet. So now is the time to take risks and follow your passions! Create the job you want to do for yourself so the next 40 years you are working you will love your work life.

If you don’t know what you love or what you are passionate about that is okay. Instead of letting that get you down, you should let that empower you. It’s okay not to know! In fact, it’s great not to know because you can start at ground 0 with what you want to do. You probably see friends getting married and buying houses, but they don’t have something that you do. You have the opportunity to create the work life you want for yourself. You don’t have shackles keeping you tied into jobs you don’t love. You have a rare and powerful opportunity.

“This is exactly when you can live with four roommates in a basement and eat fast food.”
-Gary Vaynerchuk

You can live for dirt cheap by having a ton of roommates and living in a cheap apartment. Still try to live in a safe neighborhood, but you can find cheap rent. Take the extra money you make to travel and follow your passions. If you live an inexpensive life you can afford to work part time and spend the rest of your time doing what you love and something you are good at. You can also use that extra time to create a career for yourself, start a band, start a blog of your wildlife photos and if you do these things you may become popular. If people love your work then you have the opportunity to grow and create new business experiences for yourself. If that doesn’t happen then try a new passion that you love. You have the power to do this at this age because not being tied down is the greatest opportunity you have and you have the time to do these things.

 

Attack the Life You Want to Win

He starts by saying that you are in the best 5-year window of your lives. If you are 22 and just graduating from college or even 22 and didn’t go to college that this is the time to attack what you love and do what you want to do. This is the time to work your butt off because you can pull those 18 hour days to create the life that you want for yourself!

What are you really passionate about? What do you want to do every single day for the rest of your life? Once you figure out what that thing is, learn how to turn it into a business. Read articles, learn how to differentiate yourself from people in that industry and work towards the life you want to create for yourself.

Everyone comes up with these great ideas, but the ideas are not converted from ideas to processes. They are just ideas that get lost in the world of endless dreams. To make your dreams come true, you need to turn ideas into processes. You need to show up every single day and do it. You need to create and document and learn to make your dreams happen.

“What you should do is go and travel and learn. Go and start that business you always wanted. Hook up with those teammates you always wanted and start that band.”
-Gary Vaynerchuk

That being said, it’s not going to be easy.

“The current state of entrepreneurship seems like a party, popular, cool, but it’s literally everything but those things.”
-Gary Vaynerchuk

That’s because you need to work and work hard to achieve the dream life you want. It’s not going to just happen for you.

 

LIFE IS HARD; THE WORLD IS HARDER

The world is a hard place. It creates fear and self-esteem issues driven by the need for money that we all have. It tends to drain our confidence and leave us feeling miserable at times. These years need to be the best times in your life because this is when it will be the easiest to accomplish the goals you have for yourself.

Stop caring about what other people think about you. Figure out who you really are, not who you want to become, and what you want to do. Once you know these things then you can become humble and learn.

 

I Wish You the Best of Luck

We can afford to set the foundation for our work lives for the next 40 years. We can set up the processes now and chase the dreams we want. This is the incredible opportunity that we have, and if we don’t take advantage of it, then we are not going to get a chance like this again. We don’t have the baggage which gives us the power to choose what we want to do and work hard for it.

I’ll say it again, don’t throw away this incredible opportunity that you have. You probably don’t know what you want to do with your work-life yet so take this opportunity to create the work life for yourself and set the foundation for your future self. If EVERYTHING you have tried fails, then you can always get another job. You won’t regret giving it a try; you’ll regret not doing it.

Do You Make More Money as a Job Floater?

As a child, my only work goal was to find a job and stay at that job for as long as I could to earn more money. I thought that the longer you worked with the company, the more raises you would get, and you would make more money. Well, to my surprise, it turns out that the opposite is true. In fact, according to Cameron Keng, if you stay with a company for longer than two years you will make up to 50% less money over your lifetime.

People working in America are changing jobs more now than ever. The reason is that people are not getting significant raises that compensate them for their skills. They learn the skills, get some experience and then apply for a new job with a better title. The cycle continues until they find a job that they feel is compensating them enough. According to USA today, in 2014 the average raise was only 3%. Cameron states that the current inflation rate is 2.1% according to the Consumer Price Index. So a 3% raise is really only worth about a 1% increase in salary.

More of a Raise Starting a New job

So how much is the raise when you start a job with another company? Well, according to Cameron, when a person leaves a company for another job title, the average raise is 10%-20% increase in salary. In some cases, some people even make 50% when they start at a new company. With the economy improving and more companies starting up, we are at an advantage as a job seeker.

“The world is desperate for skilled labor and companies around the globe are starving for talent. Companies can tout technology replacing labor, but it is only exacerbating the global shortage of human capital and skilled workers. This means that we as employees are positioned better than ever to leverage our abilities for increased pay.”

What does this mean for you? If you are a skilled worker, you are likely to find a job earning more money. If you can hone your skills and become excellent at what you are doing, then you will always find a job and make more money. He uses Jessica Derkis as an example:

“Jessica Derkis started her career earning $8 per hour ($16,640 annual salary) as the YMCA’s marketing manager. Over 10 years, she’s changed employers five times to ultimately earn $72,000 per year at her most recent marketing position. This is approximately a 330% increase over a 10 year career. Derkis’ most recent transition resulted in a 50% increase to her salary. Derkis’ is a great example of how “owning your career” can make a huge difference in your income and career path.”

The Other End of The Spectrum

On the other end of the spectrum, some hiring managers won’t hire a person who doesn’t have a lot of time at past jobs. If they see an employee who only stays at companies for a few years, then they won’t hire them. I personally think it just depends on who the hiring manager is. Some hiring managers will see the value that you bring to the company and figure a few years of work is worth the value you provide. Perhaps they think you will plan on staying longer, whatever the reason is, you finding a higher paying job is going to be reliant on the hiring manager and the values that hiring manager has.

So why don’t companies just pay employee’s more to stick around and continue to provide good work? Well, Cameron says that “most companies are not equipt to rapidly promote and reward their best employees for a variety of reasons such as office politics.” Some companies just can’t afford to give raises to everyone as rapidly as they deserve them. Good employees understand this and do what is best for themselves.

Before you jump ship, ensure that you have the skills for a new job or job title that you want. Leaving a job can be stressful, and you may regret it if you work at another job that may pay more, but doesn’t share the values that you have. Do a personal assessment of how happy you are at your current job, how much debt you have, and if you are in a good position to leave the company. If not, leaving may do more harm then good.

What type of employee are you? The long term loyal employee or the kind of employee that tends to jump ship?

Let us know in the comments

How to Get the Most Value From Your Paycheck

Normally I use this blog to talk about career choices and tips for happiness within your career. But today I wanted to cover another subject that I discovered about a year ago and has had a significant impact on my life.

Today we are going to talk about what to spend your money on and how it will make you happier. It’s an article I found on FORBES that you can read for yourself here if you have time.

The title of the article is Why You Should Spend Your Money on Experiences, Not Things and Travis Bradberry is the author behind it.

When you think about buying a new toy, and you compare that feeling you get from the new toy to the feeling you get doing something you love to do, which do you think makes you feel happier?

 

Well, Let’s Experiment.

Think about a toy or object that you bought recently that you feel brings you a lot of happiness. It’s probably something like your new iPhone or a new TV, maybe a new kitchen set you bought.

Try to remember how you felt when you got it. Try to remember how long that happiness lasted and how long you used it.

Now think about a time you spent money to experience something. A local example here in Utah is going to Lagoon, a concert, or skydiving in Ogden.

Which time did you smile more? Which event in your life do you feel brought you more happiness? My initial thought when I tried this test for myself was buying my new iPhone had made me significantly happier. It helped to organize my life and made certain aspects of life easier. But as I started to compare that feeling to the feeling I got thinking about my recent camping trip, I realized that the camping trip gave me a lot more value and made me a lot happier than my new iPhone. I noticed that as I was thinking about the trip and what happened on the journey that I was alright smiling significantly more than I was when I was thinking about the new iPhone. The happiness I got from my camping trip has not faded like the happiness from my iPhone has.

I bet you probably feel the same!

The reason why I believe the experience made me happier than the item I bought is that it provided me with a memory. It gave me experiences with other people, and it’s something that I can think back to when I need a good laugh. It provided me with stories to tell and experiences that helped me grow. You don’t get something like that with a material possession.

“We assume the happiness from buying something will last as long as the thing itself.” – Forbes

 

Experiences Become Part of Our Identity

In the article, Travis states that “Experiences become a part of our identity. We are not our possessions, but we are the accumulation of everything we’ve seen, the things we’ve done, and the places we’ve been.” I think this ties into what I was saying earlier. When you can tell stories about things you have done, people start to associate the experiences you have with who you are as a person. I believe this is one of the reasons that experiences make you happier than material things.

Just think about when you are applying for a job. It’s the same concept! You put all your relative experience on a resume so the hiring manager knows that you can do the job. Experience that you gain from doing the job efficiently and effectively.

When you buy a product, you are happy at first, but the happiness starts to dwindle because you see other products come out that can do more things. The joy sticks around initially but fades with time. It’s natural, and it happens to everything we have ever bought. I think about all the toys my parents bought for me that I played with one time and decided I was bored of it. I never picked it up again, and my parents wasted their hard earned money on a toy that I “needed.” When I think back to my experiences as a child, I remember playing in the jungle gyms at the local Burger King way more than any toy I got in a happy meal. Sliding down the slide on a tray was a way more wild experience than receiving the Star Wars bobble head that broke later that night.

The best part of this entire article is the idea that people keep spending money on things they don’t need but feel like they need to because their friends have the latest model. Then we end up with a house cluttered with so many things we need to use Craigslist or E-Bay just to get rid of some of it. People have yard sales for all the things they don’t need anymore. If we all were happy with the things we had that worked just fine and saved the money we would have spent on the new item (for no reason, like iPhone upgrades), we all would be in less debt and have more stories to tell. That seems like a way more fulfilling life to me.

 

We Do Need to Buy Things, the Trick is to Not Over Consume

Some things in life that we buy do provide us with tremendous value and are worth the money we spend on them. And things do wear out over time and need to be replaced, it happens. I am not saying we all need to stop buying things because if we did then the economy would crash and we don’t want to use ineffective tools. All I am trying to say by writing this article is that if you want a life full of things that you will just get sick of in a few years, then, by all means, buy them. But if you want a life of memories and experiences with people then maybe that’s the way to spend our money. On experiences!

The best part about spending money on experiences is that they honestly don’t cost as much! Think about the new iPhone that costs $800+ and reflect on the benefits of using it. Now compare that $800 to taking your family out for a vacation or multiple events like movies, amusement parks, camping trips, fishing trips, or even just hiking. You would get WAY more value out of those trips, and you could go on multiple trips for the cost of that one phone that you “needed.”

The reality is that you don’t need it. Your phone works just fine and will for a long time. Same with your kitchen supplies, tools, BBQ, or whatever it is that you think you need. Instead, invest in the people around you that are important to you, and I bet you see a change in happiness that you weren’t expecting. If you are wondering why people get to travel the world or retire early, its because they don’t spend money on things they don’t need. They don’t develop bad spending habits and fall into the trap of consumerism. I know a lot of wealthy people, and they all tell me that money doesn’t equal happiness, and I never believed them. But learning about this makes me think that they are right.

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What has been the most memorable experience you have ever had?

How To Put Your Dream Job To Action

One of my favorite quotes that my dad taught me when I was younger is “if you love what you do, you don’t have to work a day in your life.” Now I know that my dad didn’t create that quote and he probably found it online and read it to me, but this quote has been a goal I want to achieve. I think everybody wants that. The idea of waking up every day and being excited to go to your work instead of dreading it. And the best way to love going to work is by doing something that you are passionate about.

I figured a few people that read this blog may be feeling this way or lost and unsure what to do with their lives, and so I did some research about how to love what you do every single day. The article I found comes from mashable.com, and the title is “7 work habits that will overcome your lack of passion.” You can access the article here. You can read it for yourself and decipher the message you want from it, but the following is my interpretation of what Aaron ORENDORFF is trying to say.

At first, when I started reading this article I felt bummed because Aaron Orendorff quotes Cal Newport who says “following your passion’ is dangerous advice.” I took that as the idea that a lot of people try following their passions and fail. He then goes on to say that it’s not just Newport that is saying this but a “host of leaders. academics, and entrepreneurs have all come to the same conclusion: nearly everything you’ve been told about following your passion is wrong.” I then realized that it’s not people trying to follow their passions and failing that is the concern, but its how you pursue your passion that matters! So let’s begin the journey of what habits we need to have in order to create the job we want for ourselves!

 

Habit 1: Purpose

The idea of this paragraph is that when you focus on your passion, you are focusing on yourself. When you have a purpose, you are focusing on something more than just yourself. Aaron says “it reorients our focus onto the people and causes we’re trying to reach, serve, help, and love” and it’s not our passion that does this but the purpose behind our passion that does. So if you want to make your passion your career, you need to ensure that what you love to do serves a purpose to other people. If your passion doesn’t serve a purpose, then you won’t have any customers or audience.

 

Habit 2: Picking

I love this habit because I think it speaks a lot of truth and it’s something that we can all work towards. Shaa Wasmund in the article says “No’ is a far more powerful word than ‘yes.’ ‘Yes’ said out of obligation or fear takes time away from the things and people we love.” Take a second to reflect on all the times you have said yes because you felt obligated to say yes. Now think about how much time you spent doing something you didn’t want to do because of that yes. It’s essentially wasted time that you can never get back. We all have limited time in the day and time is our most valuable asset.

‘No’ gives you the power to PICK the things that are important when it comes to making an important decision. When you are starting a new venture for a new career, you need time in order to set yourself up for success. So saying no is going to be crucial to making time for yourself.

My favorite quote of the subject is “that’s what picking is all about: slow down, pause, evaluate, weigh, and only then make a clear-headed choice.” Too often we get so excited about our passion we just try to find every source of information and try to learn everything all at once, and we miss vital steps and time on things that didn’t matter. Picking correctly is how to create a job for yourself that you love.

 

Habit 3: Practice

You know what you love to do and if you followed the other two habits than what you love to do has a purpose, and you have picked the correct opportunities to say no to create time for yourself to pursue your dream job. Let’s talk about habit 3, practice.

You obviously love the job you are trying to create for yourself, but that doesn’t mean you are an expert or professional in the field. Now it’s time to devote all the time you created for yourself to master your passion. “You must zero in on your weaknesses, and you must do so over and over again, for hours a day, week after month after year.” It’s going to take a long time to develop skills in the field you are passionate about. The more you allow yourself to practice the better you become, and you begin to hone your skills. When you become great at the skill, people will see that, and you will obtain followers, customers, fans, and start to create an image for yourself. Saying no leads to time for you to practice which is key.

 

Habit 4: Planning

I would recommend reading this part of the article on the blog because they describe this subject entirely. A lot of people have an idea of what they want for themselves, but they never create a plan. They never create realistic expectations for themselves or even goals. My favorite quote from this is “planning is a golden thread woven through the lives of artists, leaders, and entrepreneurs alike. The trick here is that plans need NOT be grandiose. Rather, they shouldn’t be.”

I love this quote in the article because it’s saying that if you create a plan for yourself with real data and real world options that you are already going to be ahead of competitors. You need a plan for your dream. I love The Minimalists, and I listen to their podcast frequently, and they talk about how when they started out if only 2 people came to a show for them it was a success. It was part of their plan to help people. They didn’t care about themselves or their personal successes, they just wanted to help people, and anybody that showed up was a win. Critics may say that it was a failure, but to them, it’s a huge win! Realistic goals and expectations critical when pursuing your dreams. Hint: It’s probably going to be a slow start.

 

Habit 5: Positioning

The article quotes Jason Stone,

“Passion can only take you so far. After that, if you don’t have the skills, the tools, the resources, the knowledge, and the track-record to move forward, take risks, and expand. Otherwise, you won’t be able to position yourself as an authority. Positioning is key to make sure you are ready when opportunity strikes!”

A common thing I heard about success in college is that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And I find a lot of truth in that statement. Which is why being active in the community you are passionate about is important. I love that Jason says to “take risks, and expand.” You need to put yourself out there and try to get noticed in the community.

I also think this quote from the article is important.

Al Ries and Jack Trout in Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, “is not to create something new and different, but to manipulate what’s already up there in the mind, to retie the connections that already exist.”

I think what they are trying to say is that instead of trying to change the idea of who you are in other people’s minds, just manipulate those ideas and embrace who you want to become or who you really are. It’s going to save you time, and people will adjust to you.

 

Habit 6: Peripheral

The main point about being peripheral when pursuing a dream career for yourself is that “passion makes us myopic.”We become so focused on who we want to become or what we want to do that we don’t focus on what what truly is.

“Adopting a peripheral perspective forces us to examine the margins. It widens our view. Rather than rush headlong into disaster, we’re able to spot not just the pitfalls but the opportunities we would have otherwise missed.”

If you are pursuing a passion, it’s important to look at what other people are doing or what is trending and to not get tunnel vision on specific ideas you want.

 

Habit 7: Perseverance

It can be difficult to persevere through all the negative comments and critics talking about you in negative ways. You are going to have people who tell you it’s impossible or that you can’t do it or that you are not smart enough to do it. But if everyone who successfully followed their dreams listened to the people who told them how to live their lives, they wouldn’t be successful. If you really want this for yourself, you need to persevere.

However, it is important to understand that perseverance is also about learning from your mistakes and learning new things. Starting a new venture about your passion means you are going to be making newbie mistakes and you can learn from them which is what Aaron is trying to say in this part of the article.

“Although it might sound odd, perseverance is as much about putting in effort as it is battling ego. Drunk on passion, masters are doomed to repeat failures in the name of “pushing through.” In contrast, students do more than hone their craft; they learn from their mistakes. ”

Don’t be the master, be the student. Be willing to learn and mold so you can become successful. If you find that you are too passionate about what you are trying to do and you don’t want to change or update processes, then your passion is probably better suited as a hobby and not a career. Which is fine! Doing what you love is an important aspect of life.

These last two paragraphs are just too important not to put in.

“But sometimes you won’t come back to win it. At least, not in the moment. Jobs will be lost. Pitches turned down. Relationships ended. And reviews harsh.

Failure, however, isn’t just an inevitable stepping stone toward success. Rejection is part of success itself. As Louis CK put it to a budding comedian, “The only road to good shows is bad ones. Just go start having a bad time and, if you don’t give up, you will get better.”

 

Summary of Dream Following

Something that opened my eyes in this article is that a lot of people are passionate. They want to make their passions a career and make money from it because they probably see other people making money doing what they love. But the execution to make their passion a career is making those people fall short.

If you want your passion to be your career, then you need to have a plan of execution for yourself. A plan for your future job to serve a purpose to people. You need to create time for yourself to learn more about that passion and become a professional or at least known in a community that your passion is based around so you can start to get noticed. One of the most difficult things is not to have tunnel vision about what you want their dream job to be, and if you fail you need to not give up!

 

Failure: The Negative Connotation

Failing does not mean you are a failure! All failing means is that you simply tried something new and it didn’t work! There is such a negative connotation when it comes to failing. The term I use for failing is learning! You didn’t fail you just learned that the processes you used didn’t work! Go back to your plan of action and see what could have caused it to fail and then re-try! You may have to try 100 times over until you find something that works but if you do then you’re going to love your life after! You are doing what you love, so it probably won’t seem like work anyways!

It may come with a lot of pain, and the negative comments are going to hurt, but don’t let them be the final decision maker to quit doing what you love. Because those people are probably miserable and are jealous that you are trying to become something that you want to become and doing what you love. Update your processes, learn from others, and get involved in the community. At the very, very least, you have developed new skills and learned a lot about your passion. If you try for 10 years and fail, then you at least learned skills along the way that will help you in your career, and you were happy in the process.

Don’t give up! Now chase your passions with these habits and find yourself becoming successful!

Do you think that this information will help you achieve your dream job?

Let us know in the comments!