Free Never Apply for a Job Again!: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest by Darrell Gurney, Ivan Misner Page B

don’t have to wait until the event is in the long distant past to convert it. Jump on it proactively! I invite you to look forward from that perspective now. Take each step forward in your own leap of faith, accepting that you know that the unknown has hidden and wonderful surprises in store for you.
    Everything in life holds both a blessing and a curse. We deny this when we label the events of our lives as either good or bad. The following old Zen story illustrates this lesson most effectively.
    A farmer had a horse, but one day the horse ran away, and so the farmer and his son had to plow their fields themselves. Their neighbors said, “Oh, what bad luck that your horse ran away!” But the farmer replied, “Bad luck, good luck, who knows?”
    The next week, the horse returned to the farm, bringing a herd of wild horses with him. “What wonderful luck!” cried the neighbors, but the farmer responded, “Good luck, bad luck, who knows?”
    Then, the farmer’s son was thrown as he tried to ride one of the wild horses, and he broke his leg. “Ah, such bad luck,” sympathized the neighbors. Once again, the farmer responded, “Bad luck, good luck, who knows?”

    A short time later, the ruler of the country recruited all young men to join his army for battle. The son, with his broken leg, was left at home. “What good luck that your son was not forced into battle!” celebrated the neighbors. And the farmer remarked, “Good luck, bad luck, who knows?”

Principle #3:
A Question-Able Person Creates Enthusiastic Relationships
    The opportunity that lies before you, if you make the mental shifts called for in Principles 1 and 2, is that of a kid in a candy store: You now get to go play in whatever playgrounds you choose!
    Face it, to go out and interview for a job similar to the one you grew tired of five years ago will be difficult at best. I’m not saying getting your bills paid isn’t important, but I encourage you to not waste the opportunity of a good crisis— the chance to explore those fields, interests, and dreams that you’ve put on the back burner for so long.
    The question to ask yourself now is: what are your questions? What are you most interested in at this point in your life? If you are still interested in your former line of work, not just because it seems the quickest way to a paycheck, then answer this: Exactly what is it that fascinates you about it? Is theresomething on the cutting edge of your job or industry that you naturally and authentically want to know more about? On the other hand, if you have grown weary of your old roles and playgrounds, what really lights you up now? What industries, lines of work, areas of technology, or even charitable causes naturally draw you into conversations for the simple enjoyment of learning?
    When we’re in a job, we rarely have the opportunity to explore the forefront of our field, much less other areas of “outside” interest, because we just have so much to do. This is your opportunity! Your passions and fascinations are your pan to sift for gold!

CareerGuy Tip: To determine where to look next in your career, answer this: What’s your pleasure?
    What if you found that you could leverage the same skills, talents, and aptitudes utilized in a field you’ve grown tired of in a completely new line of work that fits your updated passions and interests? Too often, folks live segmented, dual-reality lives in which their skills, talents, and aptitudes get used in their work life, but don’t bridge over to what they really care about.
    Let me share a story. A client had just moved to Los Angeles from the East Coast where she was the chief information technology officer (that is, head computer geek) for a $50-million manufacturing company. Like so many other myopic clients who first believe they are stuck in what they’ve done before, she thought her only option was to findanother IT role in a manufacturing operation. However, an interesting prospect arose