You are exactly where you are meant to be! I made this comment to a job transitions group in fall of 2008. We were one year into the economic collapse. I stated boldly that when it was all over and done with they would look back at these times and consider themselves the lucky ones. Though received incredulously by some I felt the courage of my convictions-that within these circumstances, no matter how seemingly terrible, were the seeds of renewal, purpose and success.

This philosophy became the core of my coaching. I worked with job seekers in going deeper to find the meaning of their own tumultuous time. I suggested they change the glasses they saw the world through, to instead keep their eye on the good in their life. I encouraged them to take control of what they could by improving themselves and to look for others to help. I coaxed them to see how they made the world a better place even without a “job”. The master plan was to break down the current situation into smaller more empowered segments. The goal was to take back control of their lives.

Fast forward to 2011. It has been 3 years now since the economy fizzled. Many still frequent the job clubs, some coming with tired eyes, wondering when it will all end. They have lost much in the way of finances and security. Not small consequences.

Then there are the others. The ones who faced the uncertain times and converted them into an opportunity to find meaning and purpose. They journeyed outside their comfort zone and stretched each day with small but deliberate steps. They are not the same persons they were just a short time ago. They have joined action groups, volunteered for causes, learned new technologies (including social media), and developed new skills and crafts. They have new friends and bigger hearts. They are finding their way slowly into the “new economy ” by letting go of old work paradigms and being receptive to the new. Possibly most important of all, they have expanded their capacity to face hardship. They are bigger and stronger than they once were. This is invaluable.

We have been hearing since grade school the noble truths that “adversity builds character” or “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”. Nonetheless most would rather pass on life’s more difficult lessons hoping against hope that they can learn the easier, softer way. But at the end of the day, for all of us, it’s out of our hands- life makes the big decisions. That said if we can trust that we are indeed “exactly where we are meant to be” than life can become our teacher. It can be the facilitator of our life moving forward in ways we would never have chosen on our own. Yes, it’s frightening and yes, it’s inconvenient and yes, it’s not what we planned. But it is right and it is time. Keep asking the question- what is my life becoming? Then strap in, look for your supports and go for the ride. You actually don’t want to miss it. Promise.

Navigating the job search landscape is not for the faint of heart. Anyone who has been “out there” can tell you that it requires a formidable perseverance and a resilient spirit to keep the search going. It’s not only the reality of a small amount of jobs being pursued by a large amount of people. It’s also because of all the choices. That’s right, the choices which job seekers have to make everyday in determining how to allocate their most precious commodity- their time.

Lets scan the landscape briefly.  Job boards and job sites. Resumes, cover letters, approach letters and “one pagers”. Linked In profiles, Twitter tweets, free coaching webinars and Meet Up groups. Developing one’s brand, value propositions and the elevator pitch. Joining networking groups, success teams and throw in some volunteering while you’re at it. Amazingly enough it is possible to be an unemployed person who is overworked. Who needs a job to have burnout?

This is not a knock on any of the amazing tools available today. They all represent fresh, exciting, leading edge changes that allow one to reach out with more clout and effectiveness than ever before. What I’m concerned about is the weary job seeker who is required to perform  a serious bit of discernment about which and how much of these various tools and strategies are right for them. This is not an easy task when you consider all the noise coming at you from your fellow seekers touting this online tool or that Linked In group or that new cutting edge resume formatting style. Linked In alone could fill the hours of a part time job what with  asking and answering questions, reading and sending emails from the various groups you are in, delivering sharp new updates on your happenings, writing recommendations, and making new connections. Phew! It’s more than one weary job-seeker with beleaguered eyes that pleaded ,”Do I really need to be on Plaxo?”

So how do you ride this cultural revolution rather than get buried by it?

It comes down to a principle that can often be overlooked in our personal toolkit but nonetheless is essential for success in all areas of a person’s life. Trust. That’s right, learning to trust oneself. Trusting when you have done enough. Trusting that you have “stretched” yourself and taken the actions that are personally challenging. Trusting that you are  being honest with yourself and your support team. Trusting that you are being true to your defined direction and it’s OK to say no. Trusting that it’s OK to take an afternoon off to rest. Trusting that you will assess your efforts and know when you need to kick it up notch. Trusting that some things are not right for you- yet! Trusting that there are bigger forces in play and you don’t need to be everywhere all the time.  Trusting that when you are grounded and confident you are in the best place to do your best work.

Being a basketball fan, I often marveled at the exploits of Michael Jordan. I noticed in interviews after another virtuoso performance, he would regularly say he “let the game come to him”. What I took that to mean was despite being a world class athlete, it was his patience and yes, his trust that were key to utilizing his immense abilities. He trusted he would know when to act, when the time was right. If it’s good enough for MJ it’s good enough for me.

I say the same to you. Do your research, make your connections on linked in, meet the people who are right to meet and then, trust you’ve done enough. It’s time to let the game come to you.