Reflections - One Speech Away from Success

Is there something you avoid because it does not feel comfortable? Does this thing come up time and time again? I sure do.

Public speaking is many people's greatest fear. Public speaking was my greatest fear. Unfortunately, I waited far to long to face this challenge head on. Only recently did I identify public speaking as the number one thing holding me back from further success.

One of my biggest mistakes was skipping my final speech as a senior in high school. This one speech itself did not cause me to fail the class (although I finished with a D-). This one speech did not cause me to miss my high school graduation. This one speech did not cause me to miss graduating from college, or from graduate school or prevent me from gaining employment. This one speech did cause me to not put value in oral communication.

As a result of missing one speech in high school, I was derailed from the possibilities that lie ahead for me to practice and improve my communication. This one cowardly, lazy act, prevented many doors from opening throughout my career.

There are so many opportunities that good oral communication provides. Finally realizing that fact a year and a half ago caused me to join Toastmasters International.

Toastmasters groups are available all over the world and provide many opportunities to practice your communication and leadership skills. These groups allow you to go at your own pace while receiving positive encouragement from club members. I have been involved in most of the meeting roles and have given two speeches since I have joined. Please encourage me to continue on towards my Competent Communicator (CC) designation in the coming year.

If you have any other thoughts about how to improve your communication or have been involved in Toastmasters, please share your experiences with us.

Stay Informed - Labor Trends

Did you know that according to the US Department of Labor, the fastest growing occupations are in Network Systems and Data Communications?

That may not be a surprise, but it should be something you are keeping your eye on as you navigate through your career. It is important to watch what the economy is doing and adapt your skills so you stay current.

Living in Michigan, I know all to well how quickly you can be released from a job you have been loyal to for many years. Our unemployment rate finished 2007 at 7.6 percent, the highest in the nation.

A good resource for keeping track of the employment outlook in the United State is the U.S. Department of Labor. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2008-2009 Occupational Handbook lists the top 10 fastest growing occupations as follows:

1. Network and data communications.
2. Personal and home care aides.
3. Home health aids.
4. Computer software engineers, applications.
5. Veterinary technologists and technicians.
6. Personal finance advisors.
7. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance.
8. Medical assistants.
9. Veterinarians.
10. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors.
    

If you are interested in the rest of the list, click here.

Love what you do, but be informed of the opportunities that exist in the world today. If you are informed and prepared, you will have fewer sleepless nights.

How do you stay informed about your career direction, please let me know by sharing your thoughts below.

Invest Anew - Peer to Peer Lending

Cut the corporate waste out of your banking and close the interest rate gap. Peer-to-peer lending is becoming a popular way to earn a higher interest rate on your money, while removing the middle man. Take a closer look at an example of how banks work. Next, find out what alternatives are available, just a mouse click away.

How Traditional Banking Works

The traditional idea behind banking systems goes something like this:

1. You deposit your money in a checking (earning 0.0% interest) or Savings (earning maybe 0.6% interest) account at your local bank.
2. The bank lends your money back to you, and others, in the form of auto, home equity, and other loans at interest rates of 6%, 7% or higher.
3. The bank then takes the difference (5.4% interest and up) as their profit.
   

How Peer-to-Peer Lending Works

Peer-to-peer lending works by eliminating the bank from the above equation. You have money that you want to save and another person has a need to borrow. Instead of earning very little in your savings account while another person has to pay a high interest rate from the bank, why not lend directly to that person?

Peer to peer lending makes this possible. You determine who you want to lend money to and what kind of risk you want to take.

Peer-to-peer lending sites give you the opportunity to take on some of the risk and turn your low (0.0% - 0.6%) interest savings into a much higher rate of return.

Popular Peer to Peer Lending Sites

Two of the most popular peer to peer lending sites available today are

www.prosper.com

and


www.zopa.com

Conclusion

Take control of your money and help it work for you. Challenge yourself to learn a new way of banking. Check out what it could do for you.

As always, make sure you understand where you are investing your money. If you have experience with peer-to-peer lending, give us your thoughts below.

Reflections - Higher Education Was a Good Move

Is higher education for me?

This is the question that was going through my mind as I entered my senior year of high school in the fall of 1995. The answer to this question would have a profound impact on the next decade of my life.

Coming from a home in which college graduates were few and far between made the choice seem obvious at the time. Of course not! I should get a full-time job and live my life. How can a higher education benefit me? Not to mention the hindrance that potential student loan debt would cause to my quest for financial freedom.

Looking back, I am glad I made the decision to go to school. The opportunities that are available for people with bachelor degree's in today's world far outweigh the the challenges faced for those who don't.

If you are contemplating a return to school or taking the time to earn a 4-year degree, find a way to make it happen. The investment of educating yourself will pay off in more ways than one. You need basic tools as you face the challenges of today's world.

In addition to your formal education, become a life long learner. There are many resources freely available to help you continue your development. How to find these resources will be a topic of of future post. Stay tuned.

How has your education helped as you face the challenges of a changing world? How have they hurt? Please share your experiences in the comments section below.

Welcome the Fresh Angle Blog

Welcome to the Fresh Angle blog!

I am a 30 year old married guy with "think outside the box" mentality. This blog will take us on a journey to uncover new ways of looking at life's challenges and opportunities.

If normal is not working for you, be inspired. If you have had experiences that others could benefit from, please share. My hope is that our discussion will lead us all to a more fulfilling, productive life experience.

Topics in this blog will include:

• failures and successes that I have learned from,
• wisdom I have gained from others,
• tools to save you money and better your life,
• experiments and results,
• how-to and tutorial articles,
• and the normal and Fresh Angle.

Please join in our discussion as we learn how to have a happier, healthier life.

Brian