| "The life which is unexamined is not worth living." | | | | events over the course of a working life. Even |
| --Plato | | | | entrepreneurs who start their own businesses |
| Irresistible forces affect your personal life as well | | | | may face the equivalent challenges to their role in |
| as the lives of your family's members and, indeed, | | | | the company. |
| the lives of everyone with whom you come in | | | | Rather than living optimistically in the vague hope |
| contact. As examples to spur your thinking, | | | | that neither negative job event will happen to |
| consider the following things that are especially apt | | | | you, you should always be prepared to see the |
| to be influenced by irresistible forces: | | | | events for what they are, opportunities for you |
| -Sources of frustration and anger | | | | to flourish. If you are passed over for promotion, |
| -Time wasters | | | | take it as an indication that you have some |
| -Joyless tasks | | | | improving to do to make yourself the most |
| -Continuing disagreements with others | | | | appealing candidate and then do something |
| -Health problems | | | | positive along those lines. |
| -Loss of loved ones | | | | You can choose to nurse your wounds or you |
| -Loss of job | | | | can choose to find out how you need to improve. |
| -Limited effectiveness | | | | The latter action will help you a lot more than the |
| -Financial problems. | | | | former. |
| If you are struggling against personal irresistible | | | | How about losing a job? How can that have a |
| forces rather than using them to your and your | | | | silver lining? That occurrence is one of the most |
| family's advantage, you'll be draining lots of energy | | | | severe emotional wounds that many people |
| from your life and feeling a fair amount of | | | | experience in their lives, right up there with the |
| frustration. By consciously thinking about how to | | | | death of loved ones and divorce. However, losing |
| turn these irresistible forces to your advantage, | | | | that job can provide you with the impetus to |
| you'll overcome personal stalls and create | | | | reconsider how well your work really fit you. |
| breakthrough solutions where they will be the | | | | Now that you have to look around for something |
| most satisfying to you and those you care most | | | | else, you may be able to find a better job fit. Or |
| about. | | | | you may be able to learn what you need to do |
| Be Practical and Look for the Silver Lining | | | | differently to avoid being at risk in losing another |
| One of the lessons of irresistible force | | | | job. |
| management is that all irresistible forces can be | | | | Then you can use those lessons to be more |
| used to your benefit. Thus, when life seems to | | | | successful in the next job. We all learn a lot faster |
| have hit you with a hard blow, that same lesson | | | | from things that don't work out as we had hoped |
| can help you to see that there is also a potential | | | | than we do from our successes. |
| benefit that can be used to make your life much | | | | In addition, there may be irresistible forces at |
| better. | | | | work that were affecting your last employer that |
| But you have to take the time to look for the | | | | you need to adapt to in future employment. That |
| silver lining. Rather than seeing this idea as part of | | | | realization, too, can be a very valuable lesson. |
| some mantra to always think positively, think of | | | | Finally, you may find a new job that has more |
| this instead as intensely practical advice. | | | | free time associated with it so you can pursue |
| In our career-obsessed age, hard blows can come | | | | more time with your family and your personal |
| from either being passed over for a promotion or | | | | interests. Now, that can be really great! |
| losing your job. Few will be immune from these | | | | |