4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Technology Jobs

4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Technology Jobs4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Technology Jobs*/Read the infographic text.4 TRENDS AFFECTING HIRING AND PAY FOR TECHNOLOGY JOBS1. Timing is everythingTop candidates often receive multiple offers, so organizations need to move quickly. When faced with a lengthy hiring process, 39% of candidates lose interest and pursue other roles.2. Skilled talent is in short supplyThe unemployment rates for specialized positions are typically lower than the national rate. These professionals are difficult to hire given the high demand and short supply.3. Education is essentialEmployers consider college a must for most professional roles. More than 95% of jobs created during the recovery have gone to those with some college education.4. Temporary is becoming permanentRather than let a job sit vacant, firms are bringing in temporary professionals. This gives them more time to recruit or determine if the temporary worker is the right fit for a full-time role.Sources1. Robert Half survey of more than 1,000 working professionals2. U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics3. Americas Divided Recovery College Have and Have-Nots, Georgetown University Center on Education and the WorkforceDownload your free copy of the Robert Half Technology 2017 Salary Guide at rht.com/salary-center.

Military Enlisted Paygrades for Ranks E1 - E9

Military Enlisted Paygrades for Ranks E1 - E9Military Enlisted Paygrades for Ranks E1 - E9When considering enlisting into the military, it is not unlike other professions where you will start at the bottom and through education, skills acquired, and hard work, you will advance through the ranks. The term rank and paygrade are used interchangeably within the military. The following information describes the differences and relations of both terms There are nineenlisted paygrades in the military, starting with E-1 and progressing up through E-9. The career path of a typical enlisted member will take 18-20 years to achieve the highest rank of the enlisted pay grades.However, in the Armed Forces, rank isgenerally determined by pay grade. The following charts cover the pay grade and ranks, starting with the low-level (or Entry Level) pay grades.Service members in the first three pay grades are usually either in some kind of training status (basic training) or on their initial assignment a fter receiving job training. Enlisted Pay Grades E-1 / E-2 / E-3 Air Force,Army,Marine Corps,Navy andCoast Guard *E-1 Air Force - Airman Basic No insignia Army - Private No Insignia USMC - Private No insignia USN / USCG - Seaman Recruit(SR) No Insignia E-2 Air Force - Airman (AMN) Army - Private E2 (PV2) USMC - Private First Class?(PFC) USN / USCG - Seaman Apprentice?(SA) E-3 Air Force - Airman First Class?(A1C) Army - Private First Class?(PFC) USMC - Lance Corporal (LCpl) USN / USCG - Seaman?(SN) E-4 Through E-6 In the mid-level enlisted ranks (E-4 through E-6) , there is a significant increase in leadership responsibility.At this point, there is formal recognition given of that increase in responsibility with the use of the terms non-commissioned officer (NCO) and Petty Officer. For rank and precedence within the Army, specialist ranks immediately below corporal. Among the services, however, rank and precedence are determined by pay grade. An Air Force staff sergeant, an Army se rgeantand a Marine corporal are considered NCO ranks. The Navy and Coast Guard NCO equivalent of petty officer is achieved at the rank of petty officer third-class. Enlisted Pay Grades E-4 / E-5 / E-6 Air Force,Army,Marine Corps,Navy andCoast Guard *E-4 Air Force - Senior Airman?(SrA) Army - Corporal?(CPL) Army - Specialist?(SPC) USMC - Corporal?(CPL) USN / USCG - Petty Officer Third Class?(PO3) E-5 Air Force - Staff Sergeant?(SSG) Army Sergeant?(SGT) USMC - Sergeant?(SGT) USN / USCG - Petty Officer Second Class?(PO2) E-6 Air Force - Technical Staff Sergeant?(TSgt) Army - Staff Sergeant?(SSG) USMC - Staff Sergeant?(SSG) USN / USCG - Petty Officer First Class?(PO1) * Note regarding Navy Coast Guard rank insignia for E4 and above a specialty mark in the center of a rating badge (between the eagle and the chevron(s) indicates the wearers particular rating. For both the Navy and the Coast Guard, the sleeve insignia chevrons are red (or if in summer uniform, navy blue). In the Navy, how ever, if the petty officer has reached/obtained 12 years of continuous good conduct, the petty officer is required to wear gold chevrons. If the petty officer loses eligibility for future good conduct, s/he reverts back to red chevrons. Enlisted Pay Grades E-7 / E-8 / E-9 Air Force,Army,Marine Corps,Navy andCoast Guard *E-7 Air Force - Master Sergeant (MSgt) Army - First Sergeant USMC Sergeant First Class (SFC) USMC Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) USN / USCG - Chief Petty Officer (CPO) E-8 Air Force - Senior Master Sergeant?(SMSgt) Army - First Sergeant Army - Master Sergeant?(MSG) Army - First Sergeant?(1SG) USMC - Master Sergeant?(MSgt) USMC - First Sergeant?(1st Sgt) USN / USCG - Senior Chief Petty Officer?(SCPO) E-9 Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Army - First Sergeant Command Army - Chief Master Sergeant USMC - SergeantMajor?(SGM) USMC - Command Sergeant Major?(CSM) USMC - Master Gunnery Sergeant?(MGySgt) USMC - Sergeant Major?(SgtMaj) USN / USCG - Master Chief Petty Officer? (MCPO) USN / USCG - Fleet / Command Master Chief Petty Officer In the top-level enlisted ranks, there is an even more significant increase in leadership responsibility.As a whole, ranks E-8 and E-9 have between 15 and 30 years on the job, and are usually the commanders senior advisers for enlisted matters. Some of the rank insignia become dependent upon the job At the E-7 level, the Air Force has two positions at the same pay grade, and that is reflected in the difference in the two insignia. Whether one is, for example, a master sergeant or a first sergeant in the Air Force depends on the persons job. At the E-8 level, the Air Force, Armyand Marine Corps have two positions at the same pay grade with differing rank insignia, and which rank one has depends on the job. At the E-9 level, things get even more interesting.At a primary level, all branches have split positions (and different insignia) that depend upon the job. But theres one more level to the E-9 paygrade that of the senio r enlisted person in each service. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air ForceMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Coast GuardMaster Chief Petty Officer of the NavySergeant Major of the ArmySergeant Major of the Marine Corps These individuals are the spokespersons of the enlisted force at the highest levels of their services. Regardless of service, you will be required to learn the ranks of all the branches of service upon entering. The military is a joint operations world, especially in combat zones.Learning all the ranks and insignia is not just something people do out of courtesy, but rather because their boss may be from a different service branch.

CancerFighting Nanoparticles

CancerFighting Nanoparticles CancerFighting Nanoparticles More than 10 years since two Rice University professors developed a potential treatment for cancer using gold nanoshells that circumvents invasive surgery and toxic drugs, the therapy appears to be on track for Food Drug Administration approval as a medical device next year.Its been a long process, says John Stroh, CEO of Houston-based Nanospectra Biosciences, a company founded by professors Dr. Naomi Halas and Dr. Jennifer West to commercialize the therapy. Stroh says he expects Nanospectra to be the second company to get approval for tumor ablation using nanoparticles. In 2010, Berlin, Germany-based MagForce Nanotechnologies was the first company worldwide to receive European regulatory approval for its procedure using nanoparticles, small bits of iron oxide suspended in a liquid. European approval for the Nanospectra therapy is expected later this year, he says.Progress of NanoshellsGold nanoshells were invented in the 199 0s by Halas, head of Rices Laboratory for Nanophotonics and professor of biomedical engineering as well as other areas. The nanoshells are tiny layers of glass formed into a sphere encased in a thin layer of gold. Each is about 20 times smaller than a red blood cell.Professor Naomi Halas created the tiny gold-covered glass globes called nanoshells. prestige Rice UniversityCollaborating with West, the Isabel C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering at Rice, Halas worked with the nanoshells so that they would absorb light. Then they injected nanoshells into mice with cancer and found that the nanoparticles accumulated around the tumor. When they next pointed a laser at the particles, and the light was converted into energy and heated the cancer cells. Those cells died, eliminating the tumor and leaving no damage to surrounding cells.The technology was licensed to Nanospectra Biosciences, Inc., Houston, TX, in 2002, which has conducted animal and human testing required for regulatory app roval. The particle used by Nanospectra, which it has named Auroshell, is the silica core surrounded by a thin layer of gold. Since the Aurolase therapy is a physical process, it is classified by the FDA as a medical device (in contrast to a drug), which typically takes less approval time.A depiction of an indivdual Auroshell particle. Image Nanospectra BiosciencesThe nanoshells are placed in the bloodstream of a patient with a cancerous tumor, and because of the leaky characteristics of a tumors blood vessels, the nanoparticles accumulate in the tumor and frame it. Subsequent exposure to a near-infrared laser generates heat and bursts the cancer cells walls. The light is harmless, and because the heating is localized, it affects only cells immediately adjacent to the nanoshells, and destroys cancerous cells without harming healthy surrounding tissue. The nanoshells eventually are eliminated safely from the body.Clinical TrialsStroh says Nanospectra has completed or is in the proces s of doing clinical trials for head and neck cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. Human testing began in 2008 and has been conducted in a number of hospitals including The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and Baylor College of Medicine, and collaborative research has been done with MD Anderson.Image of nanoshells magnified 15,000 times. Image Naomi HalasThe therapy is so much less traumatic than surgery there is less recovery time, less hospital time, and there are no drugs, explains Stroh. You are getting the entire tumor because the gold frames the margins.The medical community is optimistic about the prospect for other medical applications of nanoparticles as well. For instance, they could be used as a diagnostic tool for cancer. A patient would be injected with nanoshells and a near-infrared light passed over the body, which would indicate the location, size, and shape of early cancers. Th ey can also be viewed with various conventional body scans.Nanoshells could also be the delivery system for various drugs that would be targeted to a specific area, eliminating side effects that often result from systemic use. If chemotherapy is recommended for treating tumors, the drugs could be delivered directly to the tumors by the nanoshells and when activated either by a laser or some other means would release the drugs.There is a lot of promise, Stroh says. Im not going to say the procedure is going to cure all cancers, but certainly its expected to offer a lot of benefits of being non-toxic and less invasive than surgery. It has the potential of reducing lots of surgeries.Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer.The therapy is so much less traumatic than surgery there is less recovery time, less hospital time, and there are no drugs.John Stroh, CEO, Nanospectra Biosciences

Successful Career Planning and Management

Successful Career Planning and ManagementSuccessful Career Planning and ManagementA 5-step plan to turbocharge your personal brand - and career.Your career is important to you.Your brand is important to you.But they arent working as hard as they could for you. I guarantee it. It doesnt take crazy time or energy to change that to get your personal brand and career turbocharged.Action one Map out your grand strategyMost people I work with are intimidated by the thought of mapping out their grand strategy because they arent clear on exactly what they want and because they are afraid of failure. But it is extremely important to have a grand strategy for your life. To be as effective as possible, you need to see not only one, but two or three steps ahead. Tactically, this means mapping out the qualities of what you want (feelings, values, priorities and passions) first - and then fleshing out as many of the details (how, where) later.Action two Re-frame your storiesThe most successful b usiness people in the next decade are going to be those who are skilled at adapting their experience to new situations. In other words, they will be able to identify how the skills they have learned will help them solve new problems in different situations in the future. After all, businesses are tackling new problems at an ever-increasing pace. To do this, think about the transferable skills you haveAction three Be your own best salesmanSuccessful people believe in themselves. Sadly, a significant number of people dont own their accomplishments enough to be their own best salesmen. We all need to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments in a way that is tactful and impactful. The key to this is to think about your audience and what they want to hear. (And then, tell them)Action four Invest in yourselfWith the rate of change in our society, technology and work, the most successful people are those who continually invest in themselves. Specifically those who invest in their educ ation, health and networks. Consistent growth and learning new skills is going to be imperative to thriving in our changing economy. What can you do this week to invest in yourself?Action five Focus on self-awarenessOne of the greatest predictors of career success is self-awareness. You need to know your strengths, your weaknesses and your biases. In fact, Ive heard from countless executives that self-awareness is a make-or-break quality for their candidatesReposted with permission from Personal Branding Blog

Why self-talk is the most powerful hack in the world

Why self-talk is the most powerful hack in the worldWhy self-talk is the most powerful hack in the worldI listened as one of my fellow FBI werbers gave a briefing on the next steps he planned to take in his investigation. I thought he welches headed in the wrong direction, and when he asked for our opinions, I told him what I thought.Unfortunately, I was the only one in the room who thought he was headed for trouble because everyone disagreed with me. I felt I had made a huge faux pas- I didnt like the agents idea while everyone else thought it was brilliantThe negative self-talk chatter started to build. You should have kept your mouth shut. That was stupid. You came across as argumentative, etc. My self-talk was nothing more than self-criticism. I couldnt wait to get out of that room.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe internal conversations we have with ourselves, called self -talk, can go on for days, and sometimes through our nights as well. My self-talk was negative and destructive because it made me question myself, and soon I was second-guessing myself.Many of us know how vicious that inner critic can be. Often, we are harder on ourselves than we are on others. Its not because we want to be, its because we dont know how to manage our negative self-talk.Energy follows attention- wherever your attention is focused, your energy will follow. If your inner critic is beating you up about a failure, your failing will be the one thing you focus on.However, there are ways you can harness the power of self-talk so it can help you. Here are 8 ways you can make self-talk the most powerful hack in the world1.Nip it in the budNotice when you begin negative self-talk who are the people that trigger it? and the situations or circumstances?Do a post-mortem on when youve unleashed the inner critic and then ask yourself some basic questionsAre my thoughts factual, or are they just my interpretations?Am I jumping to negative conclusions?What is the evidence for and against my thinking?How can I find out if my thoughts are actually true?Once you get in the habit of observing your self-talk, noting whether or not its constructive, youll find it that much easier to nip the negative thoughts in the bud.2.Reverse the negative spiralIn theRogelbergstudy, researchers discovered that the more you use negative self-talk and second-guess yourself, the less free your mind will be to roam through creative solutions of the problems that you face. These outcomes will only further cause you to doubt yourself, leading to a negative, downward spiral.Turn the situation around and counter your inner critic with positive and constructive self-talk. For example, in my situation, I could say to myself, I dont always agree with my colleagues. Im glad I stuck to my guns and pointed out where the investigation could trip over itself. At least the agent understands that t here are potential problems if he continues in that direction, etc.3.Be specificWhen I say, Dont look at the pink elephant, a pink elephant immediately comes to mind. In the same way, when you criticize yourself, you see a stupid person who constantly makes mistakes.If your self-talk is I dont want- , all you will be thinking about are the things you dont want- which will probably be what you end up with because that is where your energy will be focused.However, if your self-talk is I want- , you will be thinking about all the specific things you do want- which is probably what youll end up with4.Change self-limiting beliefsMany times it is our self-limiting beliefs that create the negative self-talk. As long as you are talking to yourself anyway, ask Why do I have this self-limiting belief?Most self-limiting beliefs start in childhood and can be pointed to a parent or teacher telling us we couldnt do something.Those memories stick with us, even when circumstances change.5.Respect y ourselfOne litmus test to stop destructive or negative self-talk dead in its track is to ask yourself this simple question Would I talk to a child like this?If the answer is no, you can be certain you are wasting precious energy on denigrating yourself in a destructive way. Often, we treat ourselves much worse than we would treat strangers in fact, we would have no friends if we talked to them like we talked to ourselves6.Watch your languageScientists estimate that we have between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts every day. Whenever you think about something, it is a form of self-talk so you can see how important it is to control your thoughts.Resilient people do not whine, complain, or blame others instead, they have themental toughnessto take responsibility for their actions. Since you are not perfect, there will be mistakes and failures instead of responding with negative self-talk, accept responsibility and turn your attention, and energy, toward learning from your mistakes and failure s.7.Embrace your imperfectionsMany CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners are both overachievers and perfectionists. Its a double whammy of a curse because they often end up holding themselves to an impossible standard of performance.But no one will tell you they are a success because theyre a perfectionist or an overachiever.Instead, they will tell you they are a success because they are willing to mess up, learn, and move on. They dont give up on themselves.8.Give your inner critic a anthroponymResearcher David Rockbelieves that labeling our negative emotions is an effective way of short-circuiting their hold over us. So give your inner critic a name or call it out for what it really is- jealousy, insecurity, fear, etc.You can keep the name in your head, but Rock believes that when you speak it, it activates a more robust short circuit to help break the emotional hold.If you think you can, or cant, do something, youre right - Henry FordThis article was originally published on L aRae Quy.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

A Fools Handbook to Modern Resume Template Explained

A Fools Handbook to Modern Resume Template Explained The heading section should incorporate all of your contact info, such as name, address, e-mail, and contact number. Modern resume templates are certain to come handy in assisting you to bag a dream job. In order to acquire into the corporate world your resume must be quite presentable to your upcoming boss. Double check to be certain that everything on the last version of the resume is about you. The resume writer would like to continue to keep things simplistic. It is not hard to customize in Illustrator. Simply take the skills which you have, and show how they translate into success where you decide to apply them. Resumes are traditionally regarded as parts of paper that sum up your qualifications and achievements in order that will help you find the right job. What to Expect From Modern Resume Template? Resume is the very first thing when employers get to understand about you. Resumes have existed for quite a while , but have a tendency to modify from intervals of relative job abundance to periods of relative job scarcity. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. Remember that no one cares what you would like. Lots of people always compose the referee list, but it isnt often advisable. There are lots of beautiful resume templates out there, but nevertheless, it can be simple to feel as a lot of the greatest cost a ridiculous quantity of money, require special design programs in order to edit, or both.Get exploring and you might be spotting something you feel is going to earn an effect on your job seeking process. Its simple to discover freelance resume writers online, but you are going to need a personal referral and careful research to make aya tore handling someone competent. Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better probability of standing from the crowd even supposing its made util izing a template. People today utilize an assortment of resume templates which use different type of design approaches, but ultimately its always likely to come to the simple fact that your resume should convey a very clear message above your skills, your experience, and also why youd be the ideal candidate for the position. Please view our sample resumes to supply a guide in making your own resume. Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any moment in the creation approach. To begin, review information on different sections of a resume and whats included in each element. You will discover a wide variety of resume templates online or in your computer computer software. Its possible to enter your social networking profile address for an extra point of contact. Uploading to our resume database requires you to make an account. All our resumes are a breeze to edit and they are also able to be customized to your liking. The saatkorn holds for social me dia profiles. Modern resume templates cam help you compose a good resume in a couple of minutes, which means you should think about downloading the template rather than designing the whole model from scratch. If youve got older resume templates from prior versions of Word, you may use them in recent versions also. Youre able to observe that weve got both conventional black and white templates and plenty of creative ones with graphics and colors added. Sometimes all you will need is a timeless style template thats clean, clear and right to the point. The Nuiances of Modern Resume Template You wish to continue to keep your resume polished and current. A basic resume is also less difficult to read. Though your legal resume needs to be simple to read, it also needs to be quick to review. Taking the opportunity to work on your resume is essential. The Modern Resume Template Game The capacity to edit your resume from any place in the world is a remarkable asset that you are ab le to utilize to assist you land that upcoming great job. The peak of your resume should includecritical key terms and a fast snapshot of your core strengths, Leavy-Detrick states. With writing resumes, selection criteria, CVs, references, contact information, the list continues, its zero wonder it is a battle each and each time you embark on the whole application approach. You will notice places for your education and experience on top.

The Best Strategies for Managing Part-Time Employees - Spark Hire

The Best Strategies for Managing Part-Time Employees - Spark HireSuccessfully supervising part-time employees can be tricky. These individuals are an important part of your organization, but theyre not in-office every day, so its easy for communication lapses to occur. In order to keep part-time employees moving in the same direction as the rest of your team, utilize ansicht strategiesHold regular meetingsJust having everyone in the same room is a powerful tool when it comes to keeping your staff members on the same page. E-mail is great, but its no substitute for regular face-to-face contact. Even if you just bring the part-timers in for a lunch with the rest of the group, youll find that your company feels much more cohesive.Keep as much consistency as possibleThis will depend on your business and industry, but consistency is important when you want to ensure that your part-timers are performing to the best of their ability. If you run a restaurant and you have servers working open ing shifts, closing shifts, and lunchtime shifts with no rhyme or reason to their schedule, you may find that its harder for them to get into a groove. Whenever possible, try to make schedules consistent and logical.Dont let rules go out the windowEven though the employees arent full-time, they should still be expected to adhere to certain rules and regulations. Lay these policies out ahead of time and make sure that everyone understands them. When there are expectations in place, youll find that the quality of the work that part-timers produce increases.Make it a point to check in regularlyAs a manager, you need to make yourself readily available to all employees, regardless of whether they are full or part-time. Ensure that your part-time team members know that they are always free to ask questions or voice concerns, regardless of how often they are in the office.What do you do to manage your part-timers successfully? Image Wavebreak Media Ltd/BigStock.com

Nurse Practitioner Salary Salary

Nurse Practitioner Salary SalaryNurse Practitioner Salary SalaryThe variables that determine a nurse practitioner salary are many. There are many different types of nurse practitioners, ranging from those who work in a school or clinic to neonatal, pediatric, gerontological and more advanced areas. In general, the average nurse practitioner salary can range anywhere from around $30,000 annually to $114,000 or more.Geographic location and level of specialization are also key to the nurse practitioner salary. Like most jobs in the nursing field, larger cities afford a higher pay scale than rural areas. Skill level and years of experience also account for the differences in pay. In general, the more specialized your education, the higher the nurse practitioner salary. Those who specialize in one particular area of care usually command a higher wage than those who do not.The two most important factors in determining nurse practitioner salary are education and experience. Should you choos e to work in a home healthcare of nursing home environment, the average pay ranges from $52,000 to $54,000 per year. A nurse practitioner who specializes in critical care usually commands the highest salary at about $114,000 annually, while someone who enters the field of mental and psychiatric care earn on average $95,000 per year. As you can see, the nurse practitioner salary varies widely depending on education and level of specialization.Nurse Practitioner Salary InformationAverage salary for entry-level nurse practitioner in United States$30,000Average salary for experienced nurse practitioner in United States$114,000Customize ResumeMore Sample Salary ArticlesNurse Practitioner Salary

Resume Sample TV Producer

Resume Sample TV Producer Resume Sample TV Producer This post is part of an ongoing series of resume samples documenting the makeovers we gave our clients. Each resume welches created by the Blue Sky Resumes team but the details have been changed to protect confidentiality. We hope the resume samples and our strategy explanations will inspire you to makeover your own resume.Julie was a TV producer who came to us because her existing resume needed updating, and because it just wasnt working for her. One glance made clear why that was the case.The format is very old-fashioned and the content tells very little about her. Imagine reading this resume and then trying to picture Julie at work. Impossible isnt it?Julie also had an interesting challenge in that much of her work with big name TV networks had occurred a few years earlier. When we started writing her resume, it became clear that those larger networks were getting lost on page 2.Thats why we opted for a Selected Highlights sect ion which allowed us to shine a spotlight on those big names and also emphasize her Emmy awards right up front.Lets look at the resume sample once we had worked our magic.The lessons to be learned from this resume sample are as follows1. Always look for ways to show your best stuff on page one. The addition of the selected highlights section allowed us to do this with our TV producer.2. Create a powerful opening resume summary that clearly communicates what makes you uniquely valuable.3. Replace pedestrian job descriptions (such as those found in Julies original resume) with action-packed bullet points that convince employers you have what it takes.Click here to see additional resume samples or sign up for our free course, How to Write a Killer Resume.

Ready to quit because your goal is too hard Read this first

Ready to quit because your goal is too hard Read this firstReady to quit because your goal is too hard Read this firstDo you ever go to bed feeling like youve welchested your day?When youre chasing a big meaningful goal, such as writing a book or growing a business, youll have seasons where your progress seems microscopic.Days like these can feel pointless. They drain you of your enthusiasm and tempt you to trade for an easier dream - or to give up entirely.Dont do that.The secret to reaching distant destinations is simple. You must find joy and meaning in the path.Heres an abbildung to help you see the value of doing hard thingsThe 2003 movie Holes included a short story about a boy who wished to marry a young woman. The story was set hundreds of years ago and in order to marry the girl, the young man would need to present a gift to her father.The youth learned another suitor planned to offer the girls father a cow in exchange for her hand, so the boy hurried to his grandfathers fa rm and asked him for his fattest pig. Instead, his grandfather gave him a small piglet. And some adviceEvery morning, the old man said, carry this pig up into the mountains where he can graze on the roots and the onions that grow so plentifully up there.Reluctantly, the young man obeyed.Every day he would carry the pig up the mountain. The pig would eat, and as grandfather had predicted, each day it grew a bit fatter.But the pig wasnt the only one changing. As the animal gained weight, every day the boy grew a little bit stronger from carrying it. By the end of the summer, the boy had grown into a strong man, and he was the proud owner of a fat pig.You are much like the boy in this story. The pig is your book, your business, your cause. And as you continue to do the hard work of trying, failing, learning and trying again, the results will improve.But if you pay attention, you may notice your work isnt the only thing improving. You will also be growing - both in your craft and in yo ur strength as a person.Completing difficult tasks is how we build confidence, mastery, perseverance, and humility. This is the beauty of the path.We all want to be handed a fat pig, but growth and transformation happen on the mountainside.So keep going. Never panic.Every day is an opportunity to grow, and growth is not a waste of your time.Want to go deeper?Become a finisher with my short bookQuitterProof The 5 Beliefs of Highly Successful People.Download your free copy right here.Kyle Youngis helping creative people achieve big goals that matter.