"Mara Brown speaks from her own experience and with a generous heart. Take comfort in her insights, and don’t miss this opportunity to profit from proven strategies she’s used to triumph.”
 - Anthony Robbins (Author of Unlimited Power & Awaken The Giant Within)

“Her wisdom, insight, motivation and help is wonderful, inspiring and uplifting while at the same time being very practical and down to earth.”
 - Mark Victor Hansen (Co-author, Chicken Soup For The Soul Series)

“Lucid, eminently practical and very wise.”
- Nathaniel Branden (Best-selling author of The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem)

SOARING TO SUCCESS…How To Succeed In Any Economy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  
   
Preface 7
About The Author 8
Acknowledgements 9
Introduction 10
   
CHAPTER 1 WHO AM I REALLY AND WHAT DO I REALLY WANT?  
WHAT IS SUCCESS? 12
WHERE ARE YOU NOW? 13
ASSESSING YOUR SITUATION – FOR REAL 13
TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE 16
JOURNEY INTO DISCOVERY 17
VALUES AND BELIEFS 17
WANTS, NEEDS, DESIRES AND AVERSIONS 18
SKILLS, STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES 22
INTERESTS, TALENTS AND PASSIONS 25
A QUICK REVIEW 27
HOW DO I GET THERE FROM HERE? 28
   
CHAPTER 2 THAT’S LIFE  
HOW LIFE REALLY WORKS 31
IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND 34
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON THE QUESTION 36
IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? 37
WAS THAT MY IMAGINATION? 42
PUMP IT UP! 43
READY, SET, ACTION! 45
POWERFUL, SUCCESSFUL AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 46
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY, IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT 46
BUILDING RAPPORT 47
TEN TIPS FOR CLEAR AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION 48
   
CHAPTER 3 HOW DO I GET WHAT I REALLY WANT AND PROTECT WHAT I HAVE?  
SELF PROTECTION 50
HOW TO FIREPROOF YOURSELF 50
HOW TO STAY IN DEMAND 50
25 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY IN DEMAND 51
YOU ARE YOUR OWN MARKETING BOARD 54
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR JOB – GUERILLA TACTICS 56
6 STRATEGIES TO USE TO PROTECT YOURSELF 56
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF 58
OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS 59
DOING IT YOUR WAY – STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS 59
12 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO SEE IF YOU HAVE  
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR 60
SOLO OR DUET? 62
THE BUSINESS PLAN 62
WHAT IT REALLY TAKES 63
A CASE IN POINT 66
CONSULTING AND CONTRACT WORK 68
WHY AND WHY NOT? 68
GO FOR IT! 69
   
CHAPTER 4 HOW DO I FIND MY DREAM JOB?  
NAME IT TO CLAIM IT 70
HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT YOUR JOB SEARCH 70
THE RESUME 71
25 IMPORTANT RESUME TIPS 74
RESUME FORMATS TO USE 76
THE CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME 76
THE FUNCTIONAL RESUME 76
THE COVERING LETTER 77
10 IMPORTANT COVERING LETTER TIPS 78
RESEARCH 79
THE JOB MARKET IN THE NEW MILLENIUM 79
WHERE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES ARE 79
SUCCESSFUL JOB SEARCH TECHNIQUES 80
THE VISIBLE JOB MARKET 80
RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS 80
EXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTANTS/HEADHUNTERS 81
THE HIDDEN JOB MARKET 82
BROADCAST LETTERS 82
NETWORKING 83
THE ADVICE/INFORMATION MEETING 87
HOT TELEPHONE TIPS 89
A REVIEW – WHERE TO EFFECTIVELY FIND JOB LEADS 90
INTERVIEWS 92
RESEARCH AND PREPARATION FOR A GREAT INTERVIEW 93
DRESS FOR SUCCESS 94
FINAL PREPARATION 95
THE INTERVIEW (HOW TO SHINE) 96
SPECIFIC INTERVIEW PROCEDURES 97
25 DOS AND DON’TS FOR SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWS 97
7 TIPS FOR LUNCH INTERVIEWS 98
A LAST WORD ON SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWS 98
BE PREPARED – HOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS 99
30 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ANTICIPATE 99
WIND DOWN 102
FOLLOW UP 102
REFERENCES 103
EVALUATING THE JOB OFFER – IS IT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? 104
TIE IT UP 105
REINFORCEMENT – HOW TO WIN THE JOB SEARCH GAME AND
GET THE PRIZE – THE JOB OF YOUR DREAMS		 105
30 KNOCK-OUT FACTORS TO AVOID TO STAY IN THE GAME 105
RESUMES AND LETTERS 106
A SPECIAL NOTE 106
NETWORKING 106
HEADHUNTERS 107
TELEPHONES / VOICE MAIL / FAXES / E-MAIL 107
INTERVIEWS 108
EXPENSES / TRAVEL 109
REFERENCES / A NOTE ON CREDIT CHECKS 109
A FINAL NOTE 110
APPENDIX: ACTION WORDS 111
   
CHAPTER 5 WHAT IF YOU LOSE YOUR JOB? – A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY!  
WHAT NOW? 113
EMOTIONAL IMPACT 113
WHAT TO EXPECT 113
STAGES OF RECOVERY 115
STAGE ONE: SHOCK AND DENIAL 115
STAGE TWO: ANGER 115
STAGE THREE: DEPRESSION 117
STAGE FOUR: ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING 120
TIME TO CELEBRATE! 120
PRACTICAL ASPECTS TO CONSIDER 121
THE “TERMINATION” MEETING 121
DOS AND DON’TS TO REMEMBER 121
OUTPLACEMENT SERVICES 125
LEGAL ISSUES 126
THE LAW 126
THE DUTY TO MITIGATE DAMAGES 128
DAMAGES 128
HOW TO FIND A LAWYER 128
YOU AND YOUR LAWYER 129
TO SUE OR NOT TO SUE 131
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP 131
5 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION 132
WHAT DO I SAY? 133
ALL IN THE FAMILY 133
HOW TO GET THE SUPPORT YOU NEED 133
TO TELL, OR NOT TO TELL 135
FAMILY DYNAMICS 138
WHAT DO I TELL THE KIDS? 140
THE PINK SLIP AND THE SINGLE EXECUTIVE 142
“ AND WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING?” 147
HOW CAN I FACE MOM AND DAD? 148
   
CHAPTER 6 EMPOWERMENT TOOLS  
THE POWER OF WORDS 150
HOW TO BE WEALTHY 154
THE TRUTH ABOUT MONEY 154
WHAT IS REAL WEALTH? 157
HOW TO BECOME AND STAY WEALTHY – AND ENJOY IT! 158
HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AND AVOID DIS-EASE 160
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT 160
MOO 161
CUT IT OUT 161
BODY POWER 163
TOP 10 TIPS ON HEALTHY EATING 164
A NOTE ON OVEREATING 164
THE GIFT OF BREATH 166
SHAKE IT UP! 166
THE MIND / BODY CONNETCION 167
YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK 168
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE 169
A NOTE ON STRESS 170
THE LAST TWO WORDS ON HEALTH 172
FINDING THE MAGIC 172
HOW TO BECOME A MAGNIFICIENT MAGICIAN 174
EMBRACING CHANGE 179
CH-CH-CH-CHANGE 180
BECOMING A MASTER OF CHANGE 181
   
CHAPTER 7 A BLUEPRINT FOR SOARING TO SUCCESS  
DOING THE RIGHT THING 185
ETHICS, HONOR AND INTEGRITY 185
THE CHANGING FACE OF DOING BUSINESS 186
THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE 187
SUCCESS FACTORS AND TIPS 189
MANAGING FEAR – MAKING FEAR WORK FOR YOU NOT AGAINST YOU 191
THE ONLY THING TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF 191
FEAR OF PAIN 191
FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN 192
FEAR OF REJECTION 192
FEAR OF FAILURE 192
HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT (WHEN YOU WANT IT) 194
POWER NEGOTIATION TIPS 196
HUMOR – NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT! 198
WHY TODAY IS SO IMPORTANT – HOW TO USE IT WISELY 198
YOU CAN DO IT! 199
A FINAL WORD 205