1. Be so pro-active you're pre-active. Start thinking of ways not only for your personal microcosmic job to stay around, but for your entire macrocosmic business to stay around. Brainstorm ways for your company to save money and make money. Devour professional journals, magazines and books which help you stay fresh in your thinking about money and business
2. Start seeking criticism as much as compliments -- so you can grow your valuable skillsets -- and thereby grow your income. Also seek out criticisms of your widget brand and/or widget service. Find out the "WHY NOT's." Don't merely think about the "WHY's." In other words: WHY WON'T people buy you or your brand or your service? What might you need to update and shift? The world is constantly changing. You must change with it!
3. Learn from your non-mistakes. Think back to when you've been a genius -- a Major Slamdunker. Hone in on what you did so very right, so you can start basking in patterns of repeated successful glory.
4. The more people you know the luckier you will be. Hang out with friends online in various social networks -- like facebook and linkedin. Be sure to update your online persona so you're at you're very online best. Consider starting a blog which shows off your genius know-how. Also, I recommend checking out Keith Ferrazzi's online community -- where it's not just a valuable place to network, but garner support. Visit: Http://community.keithferrazzi.com
5. Don't forget to network like a REAL human, not just a virtual human. Go to parties, concerts, gallery openings, organizational events. Remember: Mom was wrong. It's okay to talk to strangers. Everybody you meet could be a mere few degrees of separation away from someone who could rocketship your career -- or just plan fun and fascinating -- and fabulous people are what happy downtime is all about. Speaking of... Be sure to make time for friends and family. The best way to remain recession-proof is to remain depression-proof -- and stay happy, dammit.
6. Be a winner not a whiner. Find a way to do work which you don't want to do by engaging others you respect to work alongside with you -- or delegating work to others who might enjoy doing it. Also consider asking for more time so you can get your work done in a more enjoyable way.
7. Ask for third-party endorsements after doing a job well-done. And ask the sweet endorser to whisper their sweet somethings into your boss' and or client's ear.
8. Know who the power brokers are. Make yourself visible to them.
9. Know who the backstabbers are. Make yourself invisible to them.
10. Flip on your GET RICH SWITCH. See your money situation in the full glaring light of reality. I know reality is scary. As Tom Wolfe says: "Reality is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there." But the time has come to face the money reality you are living in -- so you stay recession-proof! Consider keeping a monetary journal. Write down where your money flees to. Become fully conscious of how you might be over-using your credit card -- and how often you are making only minimum credit-card payments and reaching card limits. Shop for a low-cost credit line, pay down your debt, build a cash fund and check your disability and life-insurance coverage. Look over your credit card bills from the last year, and remember where you were emotionally during times of splurging. Recognize: True happiness comes from the inside out, not outside in. Recognize: The time has come to seek more happiness-from-the-inside-out.
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Karen Salmansohn is the best selling author of many books - her newest being "The Bounce Back Book" - with a red rubber cover on the outside, and inside resiliency psychology techniques to help you thrive in the face of adversity, setbacks and losses. For more info, click here...
ARE YOU RECESSION-PROOF is an ongoing series of articles. Keep a look out next week for more resliency psychology and business tips to help you thrive in today's challenging times.