Ask These 4 Questions to Clarify Your Purpose in the World

Ask These 4 Questions to Clarify Your Purpose in the World Ask These 4 Questions to Clarify Your Purpose in the World Article by Barry StilesBy the time I welches diagnosed with stage 4 neck and throat cancer, I had thought I was done with life-changing experiences for a while. In fact, I had been running the company that my previous life-changing experience inspired me to found for only six months when I got the call.What happened was this Five years before my own diagnosis, my then 4-year-old son was battling a rare form of lymphoma. I was witness to our beautiful boys extraordinary bravery as he endured spinal taps and an extremely aggressive chemo treatment.During this time, I occasionally escaped for a short run around Rice University to clear my head. During one run around the decomposed granite track that circles the campus, as I was looking for answers to questions that had none, I realized how I could combine my skills and passions to make a tangible difference in the worl d.I saw clearly that I could meld my skill set as an engineer and entrepreneur with my passion for family to help create a cleaner, less toxic environment for our kids. I envisioned a company that would keep plastic out of the oceans and landfills by using 100 percent post-consumer plastic, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by offering an eco-friendly alternative to concrete and asphalt, and cleanse toxic automobile pollutants through natural filtration of storm water. I wanted to make a real contribution toward a safer environment, and my sons bravery was the deep well from which I could draw inspiration.Years later, my own cancer treatment and recovery, coupled with the unending hilfestellung of my team and our clients, sharpened the clarity of purpose I had found. No one person and no one company can eradicate cancer, but making strides in that direction has imbued our companys mission - to improve our environment and communities by eliminating toxins and carcinogens that are pres ent in our everyday lives - with urgency and intention.I encourage you - entrepreneurs, business owners, and dreamers - to find fuel in your life challenges. The most trying times can clarify what motivates, inspires, and challenges you. When you see what lights your fire, go for it.You dont need a traumatic experience to take steps to clarify your purpose.Successful entrepreneurs rise, grind, stretch, and strive every day. They listen to clients, customers, and the marketplace - and to their guts. They ignore the voices that tell them business is just business, that its elend personal. Successful entrepreneurs know that if you make your business personal in a positive way, you can be a powerful agent for change.To clarify your purpose in the world, start by asking yourself these four questions1. Am I Happy?Are you passionate about what youre doing? Does it fulfill you? If you answered no, take some timetoconsider what you really love to do. What excites you so much that you lose track of time while doing it? What do you find yourself reading about or doing when youre off the clock? When I reflected on this question, my passion was easy to name my kids.When you figure out whatyour passion is, ask yourself Is this a hobby or a business? If its something just for you, it may be a hobby. If it solves a problem, makes something easier for other people, or improves a product or a service, then it may just be a business you can commit to in the long term. Equally important, make koranvers there is a market or an audience who will find value in your offering. If it fits these criteria and makes the world a better place, youll have a clear purpose going forward.2. What Do I Want?What do you want to achieve so much that you will be motivated to learn, work, and sacrifice more than anyone to reach that goal? Overnight successes are illusory.What the world sees as sudden is in fact backed by years of work and dedication. Ask yourself whether your passion is strong eno ugh and your goal is clear enough.One way to figure out whether this passion will stay with you for any length of time is to write it down, put it aside, and come back to it in a month. For me, the drive to work toward a safer, cleaner, less toxic environment for my own kids - and children everywhere - was persistent and unflagging.3. What Do I Know?Once youve defined what you want to do, take inventory. Do you have the necessary skills? The appropriate education? The funds to get started? If not, map out a path to attaining what you need.As you make a plan, incorporate the ways your existing skill set will help you achieve your larger goal. The business I developedbrought together my skills - product design, invention, engineering - and my passions for manufacturing in the US and cleaning the environment. My primary taskat the start wasto shore up the capital and the werkstoff resources to begin my journey.4. Can I Solve a Problem?What is the gap between what exists and what is needed? Is your solution new or different? Search the internet and scour retail to find out. Do a patent search, either on your own or with a patent attorney. Talk (and listen) to your potential customers.Having done this research, build a prototype of your product or write a detailed plan for your service. Assess the market potential for what you offer and once again consider whether you have something that solves a problem, improves someones health, or makes a process easier or better. This due diligence will help you determine just how the purpose you have found contributes to the greater social good. It will also show you whether you can be the best at doing it and find a place for yourself in the market.Finally, ask yourself Will it be fun to do this work? My research showed me that the solutions I proposed werent already in the marketplace. This freed me to anticipate how much fun I would have making permeable paving surfaces that snap together, like playing with Legos in the real world.Having a child with cancer was a bracing wake-up call for me about what really matters in this life. The surreality of the whole experience forced me to stop and listen, pause my entrepreneurial ambitions, and find a deeper purpose. Because I did, I was given the gift of making a difference.Yes, there are many inspirational stories of people who find clarity because of traumas that wipe away the fog of the busyness of life, but its not necessary to experience trauma to find clarity for yourself. Just slow down, listen to your inner voice, and commit to change. When you clarify your purpose, it will be fun to go to work - and your business will benefit exponentially.A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Barry Stiles is the founder and CEO of TRUEGRID Pavers, the 100 percent permeable paving alternative to concrete and asphalt that instantly absorbs stormwater and detains water below the surface. TRUEGRID is a green, permeable, Lego-like paver syste m for the real world, made in the US from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and filled with gravel or grass for a natural aesthetic. As an engineer and as a dad, Barry is passionate about TRUEGRIDs mission to provide green paving solutions to build a safer and cleaner environment for our kids. To learn more about TRUEGRID, follow along on the companysblog.

How to Network Using Your Personality

How to Network Using Your PersonalityHow to Network Using Your Personality4Does the thought of stereotypical networking- mingling with large groups of people for cocktails and casual chitchat- make you cringe? If so, you have plenty of company. Some people who consider themselves introverts may avoid small talk because they feel drained by it rather than energized. Others may simply prefer networking in smaller groups, or getting to know people in mora creative ways than at the average conference schmooze-fest. Knowing how to network for your personality is key to being successful.Your personality can hold the keys to the most effective- and enjoyable- ways for you to network. Theres no need to be pigeonholed into traditional networking forums when different tactics might work better for you.Here are some innovative strategies to explore how to network based on your personality1. Try a professional networking dinner.If eating rubber chicken at a conference while attempting to hobnob with your neighbors leaves you cold, why not give a professional networking dinner a try? Many industries and organizations host dinners designed to make meeting and greeting a little more enjoyable.These gatherings are a little more intimate than networking in a giant conference hall, and may give you a chance to talk more in depth with one or two people while enjoying a delicious meal.2. Join a focus group.Attending large events doesnt appeal to everyone, partly because the venue may not lend itself to meeting people very easily. If you find you must attend one but feel uncomfortable starting conversations with strangers, then its smart to join a focus group or event in a smaller meeting room that is designed with networking in mind.For example, if you have the choice between sitting in a dark room watching a speaker review PowerPoint slides or participating in an interactive group discussion where a facilitator ensures that people talk to each other, choose the latter.3. Work soc ial media.For all the nuisances of social media, having the ability to easily connect with others online is a true gift to personalities who prefer to remain behind the scenes but dont want to be isolated. Through sites like LinkedIn and Twitter, you can identify people whose professional and personal interests match yours, greasing the wheels for conversation either virtually or in person.Make the most of this resource by joining professional groups on LinkedIn and participating in them regularly.4. Seek pure networks.For those who value genuine connections, the goal of simply connecting to random contacts on social media may seem vacuous. In this case, try this strategy of pure networking advocated by Joseph Terach, cofounder and senior writer at Resume Deli. Terach joined LinkedIn back in 2004 and only this year reached 500 contacts.As a career management professional, he had ample opportunity to build his network faster. Yet Terach intentionally took his time about it, vetting e ach connection request he received before accepting it. His goal was to ensure that he either knew the requestor, or that the person could provide a convincing reason why they wanted to connect. If the prospective contact didnt pass Terachs screen, he didnt accept the connection. While it took over a decade to build up to his current contact list, he now has what he considers to be a pure 500 contacts.I feel comfortable to connect any of them, to ask for their help, or to offer mine, explains Terach. Its a powerful 500 that is a reliable resource to me in my career development- and equally reliable to anyone who wants to plug into my LinkedIn network.Is it time to explore some fresh ways of connecting with others whoplay better to your strengths? When you network in ways that match your personality, youll have a better time getting connected- and youll be more effective too.Readers, how do you networking using your personality? What have you found to be effective or ineffective? Sha re your advice on how to network with your personality with us below

Data Analytics Career Transition 201 How to write a killer resume and ace the interview

Data Analytics Career Transition 201 How to write a killer resume and ace the interviewData Analytics Career Transition 201 How to write a killer resume and ace the interviewCraft a resume that will land you an interview in the world of big data, business intelligence and analytics. In our first installment of Data Analytics Career Transition 101 , we showed how to bring the dream of a data analytics career one step closer to reality by crystallizing your career objectives and interest, assessing your analytics aptitude, targeting your dream jobs and filling skill gaps with training. Now its time to craft a great resume that will land you an interview, and wow them in person when it does.What gets you the interview? What stands in your way?Right Job + Right Resume + Right Time Place (aka luck) = InterviewYou cant control luck. But the other two, you can. And here is how toFind and apply for the right jobWrite the right resumeApply for the right jobYouve done the hard work, learning about your career path and preparing for it, so dont throw it away by applying for the wrong jobs.1. Be focused in applying for jobs that fit your dream job profile and build on your skills. Dont blanket the market with your resume it wastes time and energy.2. Look inside your current company, if already employed. Moving to a new job internally is always easier than landing a job elsewhere- you already know the culture, the colleagues and the company, which makes you a better candidate for the hiring manager.3. Use the right job sites and your contacts to learn of opportunities and capitalize on them. LinkedIn.com, incrunchdata.com, craigslist.com, dice.com, etc. are great sources of up-to-date job postings. Some of these enable direct access to the recruiter via paid services. And if you are lucky enough to know someone who works at one of your target companies, ask them to send your resume to the hiring manager or make an introduction so you can make direct contact yourself.Write the right resumeOnce you know where youre applying, its time to craft the perfect resume. Of course, that means being accurate and thorough in describing your work history, experience and education. But how you do that is what makes a great first impression and gets you the interview.1. Tell a powerful story that bedrngnis only paints a clear, coherent picture of your strengths as an analyst, it provides the proof- with dollar signs. First, write your story as an analyst, even if youre a developer right now. Then, dont just list your projects list their impact. Show how you were instrumental in driving revenue or savings. If you dont have actual numbers, describe the impact as potential gain.2. Answer the hiring managers questions before they are asked with a resume structure that is clear and direct. Use a Request for Quote (RFQ) format that allows a hiring manager or recruiter to see how you stack up against the job requirements in seconds. Simply list the job requirements from t he job description in one column and your bullet-point experience in the next. Hiring managers who spend hours wading through verbose resumes to see if an applicant is qualified will appreciate seeing youre a great fit for the job in two secondsUse boldface to highlight key words or concepts to make it even easier for your skills to get attention. And remember, keep your resume to no more than two pages.3. Show your passion for data analytics by choosing words that convey your enthusiasm. Dont use empty words or inactive verbs. Replace terms such as good problem-solving skills with brief stories about how you used those skills. Instead of saying you were involved in a market research project say you conducted market research that resulted in a tangible impact.Acing the interviewYouve written an attention-getting resume that did the job- it got you an interview. Now its time to seal the deal in person.1. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Take time to research the company to begin to underst and the business model, revenue stream, future plans and more. Youll use this information to provide meaningful answers set in companys context during the interview and prepare questions of your own to asking the hiring managers and interview team.Practice your story so you focus on the key messages you want to emphasize and know how to answer tough questions without derailing the conversation. An interview is your chance to bring life to the words youve already written in your resume.Be ready to demonstrate your technical knowledge, which may include using a whiteboard to show your knowledge of SQL, for instance, by writing code.2. Show your fire. An interview is not the time to appear bored or disinterested. Let the interviewer see and hear your passion for analytics, your enthusiasm for the company and your desire to get the job. Passion for the job often counts for more than hard skills when it comes to winning a position.Demonstrate your ability to help the company. Show them y our problem-solving skills, as well as your ability to size and estimate their impact. Interviews sometimes include a problem-solving exercise that may be modeled on an issue being faced by the company this is your chance to demonstrate your analytical skills by how you take a large problem, break it into small pieces in a structured way, lay out your assumptions and facts, and pull it all back together as a solution.3. Mind your manners. Be confident, but not arrogant. Listen to others without interruption, ask thoughtful questions, show up on time, dressed appropriately and prepared. And then, when the interview is over, follow-up with well-written thank you notes to each member of the interview team. Thank them for their time and let them know how excited youd be to work for the company.If you need more hands-on help with your career transition, I highly recommend taking Aryngs Analytics Career Transition training. Also, check out my book Behind Every Good Decision , a step-by-s tep guide on how anyone can use Business Analytics to turn data into profitable insights.Its true that landing a job contains a certain amount of luck. But by controlling the variables you can control, you have a better chance of winning that dream job.