Eannie meanie miney mo. Is

it time to stay or time to go? A decision on whether to

change jobs is one that all people in the work force face

at some point. You begin to wonder whether you should

move on-a change for the better, you hope.

The desire may extend

beyond a new job in the same field-you may want to

enter a totally different field of work. Before making

such an important decision, however, take time to explore

your reasons. Are you considering a job change to escape

from the same problems that caused you to change jobs

before? If so, they'll probably crop up again in the new

position. Consider working on personal perceptions and

attitudes instead of moving from job to job. Here are a

few questions to ask yourself.

Question 1-Are you upset

over a particular situation? Emotional reactions to

situations encourage us to take drastic steps-not

always the best thing to do.

Question 2-Are you restless

and bored in your job? Before leaving, investigate ways

to increase the job challenge. Let your boss know you are

interested in taking on more responsibility as an avenue

to a better position.

Question 3-Are you

dissatisfied with compensation? Be sure that higher pay

in a new job doesn't come at the cost of important

benefits or quality of life issues.

Considering not just a job

change but a career change? Identify what it is you

dislike. Perhaps you chose the right career, but accepted

the wrong job in that field. If you are considering

making a change, consider visiting our website at

https://www.chartcourse.com/ttiassessments.html

for our assessments that can help you identify your

strengths and tendencies, and provide insight about

professions where you might do well.

Before making a job change,

take time to think it through-listen to your deeper

instincts. It may feel like a relief to quit that

job-and it may be the best thing for you to do. But

before you make your decision, be honest about your

motivation and consider all the aspects, both positive

and negative. The subject of changing jobs leads us to

another change.

Unless, like Rip van

Winkle, you have been asleep for the past 20 years, you

now are entering the new millennium. Arguments aside

about whether it begins in the year 2000 or the year

2001, most people experience at least a twinge of

excitement about the turn of the century.

Many mention a feeling of

anticipation-time for a new beginning-not

uncommon at the beginning of any new year, but especially

prevalent for this new year of 2000. In the midst of all

the anticipation, excitement and, yes, even some fear and

dread, perhaps we should ask ourselves, "What is

truly important to me as I enter the year 2000?"

Life presents numerous choices and we make both small and

large decisions.

Major decisions include

those about our religious beliefs, our jobs, our families

and our health. Sometimes, however, our lives become so

busy we allow things to occur not so much by choice as by

default. We drift or struggle along without consciously

thinking about where we have been, where we are, or where

we are going or would like to go. We may feel like we're

on a treadmill, running hard but getting nowhere.

We are not even sure what

would make us happy-or of our purpose in

life-and we're too "busy" to decide. The

approach of this special new year provides a real

incentive to take time to think about and discover our

true purpose in life-to evaluate not so much what we

want as what we need.

Job satisfaction, good

personal relationships, a closer relationship with

God-all part of a satisfying life. We may think we

want more money, more prestige, more adulation, but if we

get these things, will they truly satisfy our innermost

needs-particularly if we pay too high a price for

them? We won't be around for the next millennium, so why

not use this one to our best advantage.

Free by e-mail/fax: If you

would like a free article on how to keep your business

and life on-course please fax us your name on your

letterhead or E-mail us with the words, "Keeping

On-Course"

to770-760-0581/[email protected].

Gregory P. Smith shows

businesses how to build productive and profitable work

environments that attract, keep and motivate their

workforce. He speaks at conferences and is the President

of a management consulting firm called Chart Your Course

International located in Conyers, Georgia. Phone him at

(770)860-9464 or send an email at [email protected] . More information and articles are

available at www.ChartCourse.com .