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Economic bad news, people not returning phone calls, rejection letters, etc. can be immobilizing when you want to develop a business, move ahead in your job search or change careers. It's important in tough times to have a strategy to sustain momentum - even when creating a breakthrough seems the impossible.

A Strategy
One winning strategy is to stay focused on your actions and ignore the scoreboard. This means to commit to doing as many tasks as possible to further your goals without assessing the immediate results. Keep a list of the actions you take and acknowledge yourself for the effort. Have faith that the energy you expend today will pay off at some time in the future or as stated by Thomas Edison: Everything comes to him, who hustles while he waits.

Action Steps
The following list includes both work and personal life tasks because taking action on all things that you have in your control - is energizing and empowering, therefore, increases the odds that you will attract new opportunities. Commit to doing 5-10 of the following that make sense for you.

• Identify three business opportunities, types of jobs, or career paths you want to investigate and research them.
  
  
• Read a minimum of one newspaper daily.
  
  
• Go to a library - speak with librarian, see what trade journals, new books are out, etc.
  
  
• Go to bookstores - look at things of interest that may generate ideas.
  
  
• Try to identify people who have done what you want to do. Read about them, interview them, en-list them as mentors.
  
  
• Join a professional organization that is related to a special interest.
  
  
• Go over your marketing materials, resume or bio with three people -ask for suggestions.
  
  
• Write an article on something you feel is important - or have expertise on. Then send it to contacts.
  
  
• Talk to strangers.
  
  
• Write a list of people you have known over the last 5-10 years but have fallen out of contact with.
  
  
• Contact people on the list.
  
  
• Write a list of professionals you have done business with - look for clues in whom you issued check to or paid by credit card. How may they be helpful in generating contacts or ideas?
  
  
• Read books or magazine articles that discuss future trends and create ideas of where you could make a contribution. Programs you could run, products sell, materials to write, etc. Even if these are fantasy or what you believe is unrealistic - have fun with it.
  
  
• Surround yourself with positive people. Become aware of people who drain your energy and limit contact.
  
  
• Plan and make cold calls even if you hate it. Then congratulate yourself for doing it.
  
  
• Make yourself network. Expand/maintain your contact base. Set goals for contacting a specific number of people each week.
  
  
• Do something bold, out of character, or different than what you normally do. Change a routine, way of dress, message on your answering machine, music you listen to, marketing materials, color of a room, way you deal with people, etc.
  
  
• Determine what new skill would you like to learn, take a class, attend a lecture.
  
  
• Listen to audiotapes on something you want to learn.
  
  
• Research something of interest on the Internet. Check out career and business related sites.
  
  
• Determine what place would you like to visit - nearby - but have never taken the time to go, then go.
  
  
• Visit a trade show.
  
  
• Volunteer.
  
  
• Get on boards or associations.
  
  
• Develop a personal or business website.
  
  
• Write a column or letter to the editor.
  
  
• Send out some cards or articles to people as a way of connecting.
  
  
• Other: ideas?

Summary
What is important to accomplishing your goals in challenging times, is to stay in the game of being successful. Resignation can easily take over. If you reject failure as an option, and stay in motion, you'll be prepared, as well as energized to attract opportunities, as they become available. And assume there will always be new opportunities.
 
Marcia Grubel is a career/life and business development coach whose background includes: starting her own business, career counseling, outplacement consulting, and training for corporations and universities. She specializes in coaching executives, business professionals, and entrepreneurs develop insight, strategies and skills so that they more successfully accomplish their professional and personal goals.

Marcia began her business career as a personnel recruiter then eventually she started her own company. As a career counselor/outplacement consultant, she helped clients (individually and in groups by phone) manage career transitions, take on leadership roles, develop new skills, plan for the future and move in new directions.

Marcia is an adjunct professor of coaching at NYU, and has been affiliated with Drake Beam Morin, Inc., Manchester Partners, Government Programs, The University of Connecticut, Sarah Lawrence College, and the Entreprenurial Program at Westchester Community College. She has a Masters Degree in Psychology, is ICF-PCC accredited, is a National Board Certified Career Counselor, New York State Certified Teacher and President of the Westchester/Rockland Chapter of the International Coach Federation.