Your Career Magazine

How To Choose The Right Organisation For You

Your Career 5 Keys

TO HAPPINESS WHEN IT'S TIME TO QUIT 9 QUALITIES SUCCESSFUL WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON

Michelle Obama

Contents

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Tracy Is Unstoppable

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Michelle Obama's Key To Success

9 Qualities Successful Women Have In Common

Sam Cawthorn: The Powe of Communication

How To Choose The Right Organisation For You

Your Career

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How Mentors Can Fast Track Your Career

28 When It's Time To Quit

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31 Lucia Hou Does It All

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Hemi Hossain: Mindset is key to success in the age of digital entrepreneurship

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Routine: How It Leads To Greater Freedom

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Khang Pham: Key Tips To Weathering A Financial Storm

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Communication Is Not A Soft Skill

Contributors Unstoppable Tracy

TV Host Unstoppable Tracy #1 International MegaSuccess TedX Speaker is sharing the stage with Jane Fonda, Dr. Phil, Michael Douglas, John Travolta, Mel Gibson, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Robbins and more! Her mind blowing story always gets standing ovations pushing audiences out of their limitation zones. 2019 She has been viewed virally over 30 million views and is the winner of the 2018 #1 Female Transformational Leader by the John Maxwell Team out of 160 countries. unstoppabletracy.com

Hemi Hossain is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, business strategist, and a certified digital entrepreneur and life coach with extensive and robust knowledge about the industry. Hemi Hossain worked in the top leadership role in the technology domain during his 17 years of career. Hemi has over the years received multiple awards for his work as a coach and entrepreneur. Being a South-Asian immigrant from Bangladesh who struggled to make his own position in Australia and ultimately nailed success with multiple businesses, he is ready to share his knowledge, experience, insights and business techniques with you.Hemi is the Managing Director of CareersHub Bangladesh and CEO of Melbourne Metropolitan College. growwithhemievents.com/fire-your-boss-dec

Hemi Hossain

Khang is focused on providing value in people's lives through personal development, education and leadership skills. His objective is to build a wealthy community of like minded individuals who share a common vision for themselves and who possess the drive to become more. With over 22 years experience in the banking industry, "Khang runs a Melbourne-based company, Pandora Financial Services."

Khang Pham

pandorafinancialservices.com.au

Sam Cawthorn is the CEO and Founder of Speakers Institute and Speakers Tribe. Author of 7 books including 2 International Best Sellers, he is both the Young Australian Of The Year and the Eudpreneur of the Year. In 2006 Sam’s life changed forever when he was involved in a major car accident which left him with an amputated right arm and a permanent disability in his right leg. Sam went on to become one of the worlds most in demand global professional speakers. In 2013 Sam became an entrepreneur and built his training company that now runs events globally, teaching people how to master communication for influence.

Sam Cawthorn

speakersinstitute.com

Lucia Hou

By day, Lucia Hou runs a building and maintenance company. But when she downs tools, she hits the trail to raise money for her charity Project Karma. She is also a photographer and runs a photographic studio in Altona North.

However, it’s her work for Project Karma, which saves children from sex exploitation and sex slavery across South-East Asia and Australia, that fuels her greater sense of purpose every day.

Lucia is also a global beauty queen and now International Woman Of The Year. lulusecret.com.au

Welcome!

Welcome to Your Career Magazine.

We are excited to share this issue with you.

This magazine has been created to educate and inspire you along your journey, with advice and insights from leading figures and companies. Did you know how powerful having the right advice and the right connections could be for your career? Instead of manually going out there and trying to network with people, we bring the advice right to your fingertips.

We want to empower and support more professionals to discover their passion and talent, how to work more effectively with others, and how to become the best leader within themselves and in any organisation.

We are very excited to have Unstoppable Tracy in this issue, teaching us about perseverance, tenacity and sheer strength of will.

Read all about her unbelievable adventurous and successful journey conquering the world as a multiple amputee.

We look at how Michelle Obama manages to keep a work and life balance so beautifully, and also in this issue, we chat to entrepreneur, philanthropist, business strategist, and a certified digital entrepreneur and life

coach, Hemi Hossain, who shares with us his extensive and robust knowledge about the business industry.

Other great info included in this issue is...

The 5 Keys To Happiness Routine: How It Leads To Greater Freedom Communication Is Not A Soft Skill And so much more inside...

We have put together a collection of articles which will open your eyes to how rapidly our jobs are changing through external forces, such as, technology advancements, artificial intelligence and the greater demands of people. Our goal with Your Career Magazine is to support you on your journey to have a more fulfilling career and confidence to navigate the career path of your choice - especially in leadership.

Thanks for taking the time to read it!

Iris & Thai

Michelle Obama's

KEY TO SUCCESS Michelle Obama became the first African-American First Lady in U.S. history – all while the odds were firmly stacked against her and her husband and through her role in the White House it became clear that there is something about Michelle many people loved and admired.

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Infact, in the final Gallup poll published in the Washington Post at the moment the couple were packing up their bags and leaving the White House, the First Lady was so loved, her popularity surpassed Barack’s at the end of his term.

In 2014, she also launched the Reach Higher Initiative to inspire young people across the country to put their education first. She also launched the Let Girls Learn initiative to fund girls’ education projects tackling everything from leadership to poverty.

She stood out as one of the most passionate and accomplished First Ladies in history because of her charisma, compassion and powerful speech-making, but even before Michelle’s rise to fame during her time in the White House, she was already an accomplished lawyer, writer and community activist.

To truly lead and inspire others means standing up for what you believe in and living by your values – regardless of opposing views or fear of rocking the “status quo” boat. In a 2015 commencement speech at Tuskegee University, she reminded black students to stay strong and persevere against the odds.

The former First Lady spoke at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut where she encapsulated in six short words the key to being truly successful:

Michelle’s stance on social issues made her an iconic figure – and will remain her legacy. "There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made," she said.

"Focus on what you can control."

When you direct your attention to things you can't control, you waste your energy. However, when you focus on what you can control, you move closer to your goals."

“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals,” she said.

She achieved several important milestones while in the White House, such as passing a bipartisan School Lunch program to provide free and reduced-price meals to more than 20 million low-income children.

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Work asided, Michelle Obama understands the importance of finding the right work-life balance. Rather than feel inundated with calendar requests, she recently said the secret to being happy and healthy is allowing herself to enjoy “me time.”

No matter what her accomplishments, which include raising her children, Malia and Natasha, Michelle has always made it a priority to manage her time so she could focus on what was most important to her. Her children are always at the top of that list.

Obama has come to understand the bright side of focusing on herself first.

“I’ve learned that when I actually put myself on the priority list along with everyone else in my life, it actually benefits them, too,” she said.

During last year’s inaugural Obama Foundation Summit, Obama said that being “ruthlessly efficient” and “fiercely organised” were key to getting anything done.

“I have to plan my happiness. That’s the thing, we think happiness just happens and it can, but you’ve got to work in some happiness too,” she said at the Summit.

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9

Qualities

SUCCESSFUL WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON Whilst the glass ceiling is yet to be fully broken in terms of equal pay and equal representation in many fields of science, politics and business, we are increasingly seeing strong, tenacious women showing the world the true meaning of leadership.

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From New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to Pakistani activist Malal Yousafzai, women all around the globe are showing the world how to lead with compassion, humility, strength and common sense.

Having achieved pop culture status, her behaviours and approaches can be analysed to enable a better understanding of the qualities that have led to her success.

Here are 9 of the qualities that make these remarkable women the best of the best in their chosen field: A STRONG BELIEF IN THEMSELVES From Sheryl Sanberg to Michelle Obama or Beyoncé, you will discover that they all truly believe in themselves. Self-belief is probably the single most important trait that any successful person must possess. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?

CONFIDENCE Confidence is an essential ingredient for making people believe in you and brings respect and success. Hold yourself in a confident manner, even when you are having an ‘off’ day.

Praising growth, hard work and confidence when talking about the leader she envisions, the first lady incorporates what Harvard Business Review data highlights: that encouraging personal and professional growth can not only boost morale, but improve overall team performance.

AMBITION Don't simply hold grand speeches, act upon them. Focusing on results is an important leadership quality that can motivate employees to work with high work ethic. Just as Michelle Obama lives a healthy lifestyle she promotes, communication specialists and leaders need to prioritise leading by example.

A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND A SENSE OF HUMILITY Truly successful woman know when to admit defeat and are not afraid to acknowledge when they are wrong and are self evolved enough to recognise that they might not have all the answers and are smart enough to learn from others.

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”

– Arianna Huffington (AOL/Editor In Chief of Huffington Post) ASSERTIVENESS To be a successful woman, you need to know how to be assertive, otherwise people may not respect you. Being assertive doesn’t mean being rude or pushy, but it does mean knowing how to stand up for yourself, for others and for what you feel strongly about.

Always behave in a courteous and respectful way and handle criticism in a considered and rational manner.

Being assertive is about keeping your cool but also about not being afraid to speak with authority and behave in a fearless manner. yourcareermagazine.com | 13

BRAVERY To be a successful female leader in any facet from politics, to business or sport, you need to have the courage of your convictions and the willingness to stand up for yourself and for others.

You have to be able to constantly push yourself and challenge stereotypes and stigmas to overcome any obstacles in your way. To do this you have to be prepared to take risks even if this means that things may not go according to plan. You have to be prepared to face failure head on and to have the strength to re group and turn mistakes into achievements. Be brave and you will be unstoppable.

A STRONG SENSE OF PURPOSE To be successful you not only need to believe in yourself but you also need a strong sense of purpose and to know exactly where you are heading and where you want to be and what you want to achieve. If you look at strong females like Coco Channel and Ellen DeGeneres you will see the thing that they all have in common is a driving ambition to make a difference in the world and a sense that they are destined for great things.

STRONG WORK ETHIC Hard work is the key to success. No one gets to the top without old-fashioned hard work. In the words of Margaret Thatcher, “I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe.”

The long and the short of it is that you have to be prepared to put in the hours, make the sacrifices and put the hard yards in to be successful.

A NEVER GIVE UP ATTITUDE Truly successful women do not give up. No matter what knocks they get along the way they continue to strive to be better and better. British author JK Rowling never let her setbacks diminish her burning desire to write and as she so eloquently says, Successful women make the choice to be successful. They choose to never give up and to never stop trying to fulfil their ambition and their dream.

"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

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TRACY IS UNSTOPPABLE Unstoppable Tracy epitomises perseverance, tenacity and sheer strength of will. She has captained 110-foot ships, thrown herself into deep-sea diving, scoured cliff faces as a rock climber conquering the Himalayas, and is a World Cup sailor. In business, she was voted in 2018/19 as the #1 Transformational Leader Global Female by the John Maxwell Team out of 160 countries.

She has crushed barriers for companies such as Air Canada during pilot strikes, bankruptcies and mergers, turned around teams at national pharmaceutical companies during government reform, and busted Uber into Canada. In times of crisis, Tracy becomes a major disruptor of the norm, resulting in the companies she works with, out-performing on the stock market.

Oh, did I mention, Tracy has achieved all of this as an amputee of all four limbs and has also trialled at Paralympic downhill skiing and sailing selections?

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Tracy’s feats have earned her the apt moniker, Unstoppable Tracy, and she now harnesses her abundant energy and passion for living life to the fullest as a sought-after motivational speaker and leadership expert.

Tracy’s unstoppable journey began after her time in a corporate job came to completion. She was talented at her work, but the companies she was with underwent structural changes, which meant their crisis was averted and they no longer needed Tracy. Although proud to have been so successful and helped these businesses through tough times, Tracy was still devastated the job was over. However, instead of dwelling on the past, Tracy quickly turned her attention to her life mantra; what you focus on grows. She had always been adventurous at heart – and a little competitive – so the solution was clear.

“I immediately asked myself, ''What is going to pick me up, no matter what?”

Sailing is always my pick-me-up. But it was October and there was no sailing of my kind in Toronto in October, and no skiing yet either,” Tracy recalls.

“So, I searched where I might go sailing and found that San Diego had a regatta. I was still a beginner racer, though, so I thought I would just go and have fun. The same day I left my job, I spontaneously booked a flight and jumped on a plane to focus on something positive.”

Her rollercoaster of emotions continued as she got to the registration desk, only to be told the 16 | yourcareermagazine.com

race was maxed out – but then a stranger offered her his ticket! She ended up getting a bullet (sailing talk for a win) in one of the races, and her passion for the sport was further fuelled.

Tracy set a goal to reach the Paralympic trials, but was told again and again how impossible it would be.

“The news that I was taking off to live in Miami to train a week or so after losing my job did not go over well. My family and friends all love me dearly, but many were not supportive of my journey out of fear for me. They were quite resistant, even angry, that I was leaving. Only one person—Cathy Smart, who taught me to sail in 1980—told me to go for it. Cathy’s encouragement meant the world, so off I set alone on my journey. If it didn’t fit in my car, it didn’t come with me.”

Tracy tracked down Magnus Liljedahl (an Olympic gold medal winner) to coach her. After months of living out of her car or on a boat, running errands and cleaning boats, Tracy had her moment to shine on the water. A short time later, she was living her dream and competing in numerous World Cup sailing regattas against able bodied, predominantly male competitors, as well as sailing in the Paralympic trials for the 2016 Rio Games.

This is where Unstoppable Tracy was really unleashed. She would not take no for an answer; she knew sailing is what she wanted to pursue at that moment and was determined to make her goal a reality. She moved countries, found her ideal coach and worked long hours for free just to be considered.

“From day one, I had a deep, ingrained belief that I’m capable of exceeding those uncertainties. All of us can embrace possibility. Even if you don’t know how, jump anyway. Earn that independence,” she said.

“I encourage you to take safe risks and live a life philosophy of, ‘how do you know unless you try?’ Having uncertainty is no excuse for not taking action.”

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the #1 speaker across 72 countries.

Her talks seamlessly bring together her years of learning through corporate roles and the added experience in the professional Olympic sailing scene to help others conquer their own impossible.

Through her journey with Magnus, Tracy not only honed her captaincy on the water, but also learned many invaluable business skills along the way. Despite her achievements on and off the water, Tracy did not make the Games herself.

Although devastated, she was never one to accept standing still, so she regrouped and looked for other ways to focus her talents. Tracy and Magnus became heavily involved with the athletes of the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games and the club became internationally recognised by the Olympic committee. As it turns out, the journey was bigger than Tracy knew. “The Universe gives you what you need, even if you don’t always know why at the time,” she said.

It was at a free Facebook event day that she signed up to a high performance business coach and renowned speaker. From here, she returned to being a skyrocketing business coach again and became 18 | yourcareermagazine.com

“Through this means, I could apply my high-performance gold athletic coaching skills… compounded with a lot of intensity, failures and passion that had come out of my past six years of my journey while looking for a win.

It turns out, my win was my business after all and making a difference for others,” Tracy said.

So, what is Unstoppable Tracy’s secret?

Focus and visualisation with action!

“Many people quote Napoleon Hill; "If you can conceive it, you can achieve it", but people skip the third part making it happen.”

“Embrace possibility...You can do it, even if you don’t know how JUST START. You will figure it out along the way.”

For more on Unstoppable Tracy, visit unstoppabletracy.com @unstoppabletracy

SAM CAWTHORN:

the Power of

COMMUNICATION

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Sam Cawthorn came from a large family of 11 children and learnt from a young age the importance of effective communication to be heard and win people’s attention. His career in sales further strengthened his communication and persuasion skills as he launched into adulthood, but it wasn’t until after a horrific accident that Sam realised his immense potential to inspire and teach others.

While heading home one day in October 2006, Sam fell asleep at the wheel and collided head-on with a semi-trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene but miraculously survived after a week on life support. The accident left him with an amputated right arm and a permanent disability in his right leg. However, from tragedy came triumph, as he became transfixed on not only rehabilitating his body but his mind as well. From here, he was asked to speak publicly about his ordeal and began using this platform to launch into motivational and inspirational speaking.

“People were really interested in my story, and how I overcame adversity and not just bounce back, but also to learn from my crisis and bounce forward into what I could become,” Sam said.

In 2013, Sam and his wife Kate founded the Speakers Institute, focusing on communication for influence to help professionals harness the power of high-end presentation and persuasion skills to improve both individual and business performance.

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“I feel that everything rises and falls with how well you can communicate - it's not necessarily what you know, it's how well you can explain what you know,” Sam said.

“From a business perspective, across the board, all the way from leadership through to the on-the-ground team, the way staff communicate with each other and ultimately to the marketplace is going to ensure both a great culture as well as also a super successful organisation.”

One of the key factors to effective communication lies in the non-verbal cues – or what Sam calls nonverbal intelligence - which makes up to 80 per cent of the message. In other words, it’s not always what you say, but how you say it.

Effective non-verbal communication has the incredible advantage of helping you appear certain in your quest to portray a message, even if you do not feel it on the inside. This feeling is often what we dub ‘confidence’; however Sam makes an important distinction here.

“Confidence comes when you show up. So, when you show up and when you're present and you feel like you are worthy and good enough, then confidence will shine,” Sam said.

“However, there is a difference between confidence and certainty, and I believe that what you want to look is certain – not arrogant or as though you have lost your humility,” he said.

Your Career magazine asked Sam for his top tips on improving nonverbal intelligence, as well as how to look (and feel) more certain in your everyday interactions with clients, staff, management and beyond. As a bonus, understanding nonverbal intelligence helps you read others and better decipher their messages to you.

at the start. If you look up to your top right-hand corner, it means that you're accessing your memory, which then means you are telling the truth. But if you ask someone a question and very briefly, you see their eyes go up to the top left-hand corner, that means they're accessing their creative side, so are likely making up the answer.

When it comes to what we do with the rest of our face, always remember that first impressions matter – and a smile is a great first impression. The other key note here is to keep your mouth closed when you are not speaking; otherwise you come across with less intelligence.

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Facial Expressions

There are two main elements to facial expressions; one is our eyes, and the other is our facial muscles. It is true that the number of times you blink, as well as where you put your eyes when you are talking to others, is crucial to how your message comes across.

“The more times you blink, the less congruent you appear,” Sam explains.

“In addition, when someone's asking you a question and you want to come across with absolute truth, be mindful where you put your eyes right

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Voice patterns – tonality and intonation Ending your sentence with a high tonality sees you come across as if you are pleading or asking a question.

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On the contrary, if you end with a low tonality, you generally come across as more congruent and serious.

to be mindful of our diaphragm, as that is essentially where we support our voice.

Intonation, on the other hand, is all about accents. As in writing, where you would use bold, underline or capital letters, for example, you can use the verbal equivalent when speaking.

“When we support our voice in a stronger way, we do come across with more credibility and certainty, ” Sam said.

“Intonation and accent are really important to emphasise a specific sentence or a specific word for that to land well to the individual,” Sam said.

Sam’s final piece of advice for those looking to excel in their careers and become better communicators is to get quality feedback.

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Gestures – arms and fingers

Sam’s key tip here is to always keep your elbows bent, that way you can more easily and naturally move your arms and hands. Then, only move your hands when you speak, and when you pause, you freeze the gesture.

You also need to be aware of where your palms are heading as you talk.

When we bring our palms out, it appears as though we are pleading.

If we bring them in and down, we are effectively shutting down the other person. Instead, try simply moving your palms straight up and straight down.

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Get quality feedback

“If you really want to get good at this, go and seek help or advice. Go to a coach, go to a mentor and get quality feedback. Some of these things you might be doing automatically and intuitively…but some of it you're not even aware of, and you might actually be repelling people rather than attracting them,” Sam said.

“Right now, our attention spans are shorter than any other time in history, so winning someone's attention is going to be pivotal to your success in the future.”

Body language and breathing

What we do from the waist down when we are talking to someone is also important. Keep your lower half locked – do not sway, cross your legs or fidget. Stand up straight and tall with your shoulders back and chest out.

When it comes to breathing, we need 22 | yourcareermagazine.com

speakersinstitute.com

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How Mentors Can

Fast Track Your Career

BY EDITOR IN CHIEF THAI NGO

Have you ever felt lost on what to do with your career?

Or you’ve been applying for the job that you really want without much success?

The fastest way to navigate on an unfamiliar path is to ask someone that has already walked that path to guide you! yourcareermagazine.com | 25

Mentoring is a relationship between two people with the goal of professional development. A mentor is an experienced individual that shares their knowledge with a mentee.

Your mentor can be an experienced professional such as a coach, friend or colleague. They’ve already faced the challenges you’re currently facing or about to face and help navigate around the pitfalls and obstacles that will slow you down.

The mentor will not only provide the experience and valuable advice, but also get you to start to think differently.

Here are 3 ways a mentor can uplift your career.

1. Identify what makes you unique If you want to advance and get promoted within your industry, you need to know what you can bring to the table. The value you bring and how you can help them become more successful.

A mentor would help you discover what skills you have gained throughout the years and point out development areas that you might not be able to see.

A mentor is an invaluable resource for your career as your relationship with them is based on open communication and trust, which makes it easier for you to open up about your struggles and finding ways to reach to a better version of yourself.

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2. Growth mindset Having someone outside your company or department is a great chance to stay updated with how things are changing around your industry. How to remain up-skilled and gain the knowledge you may not be aware you’re missing. Also, sometimes it is easier to speak about your career challenges to someone who is not part of your company, so you don’t risk in creating waves in your team or department.

Most people work in the same departments, see the same people day-in and day-out and never put the effort to meeting new ones.

If this is you, that means your professional circle doesn’t change.

This drastically lowers your chances of gaining access to new and better career opportunities.

A mentor will have a totally different networks to yours, which is usually at positions more senior to where you are at. What that means is, you get a referral into a company or person directly and in many cases, bypass the job application process.

Until next time,

Having a mentor, especially with a background in which you are interested to learn in, shows two of the most important traits in people; self-awareness and self-improvement.

3. Increase your network No matter what stage of your career you are at the moment, either starting out or looking to step up into an executive position; knowing the right people makes it 10x easier to get access to positions not advertised and the most lucrative jobs.

Thai yourcareermagazine.com | 27

When time Quit it's

to

Learning when to walk away from something is one of life’s hardest lessons. Most of us, especially most of us women, are innately programmed to try and make things work, to figure things out and to just keep going – regardless of the personal cost.

But there comes a time in life when a clear line needs to be drawn in the sand and when you have to allow yourself to walk away from things that are not making you happy. A time to understand that walking away does not equal failure.

In fact learning when to quit something that is making you unhappy could actually be your greatest success story.

Whether its resigning from a job that is unfulfilling, ending a toxic relationship or learning to say no to an event or project because you are already over 28 | yourcareermagazine.com

committed - knowing when to let go and when to say “No” can be overwhelming, it can be complicated but it can also be NECESSARY! WHEN IT’S TIME TO QUIT YOUR JOB Making the decision to quit a job can be hugely scary – especially if you don’t have another job to go to. It is not a decision to take lightly but here are some key signals that indicate if you should consider resigning: You dread going to work: Everyone can have a bad day at the office but if you are finding yourself regularly dreading getting out of bed to go to work then you might consider that things need to change.

Your health is suffering: Are you working so hard that your work/life balance is out of sink and you are neglecting healthy eating and exercise? Are you resorting to a few drinks each night in order to cope with the bad day at work you just had or are you looking for excuses to take a sick day so you simple don’t have to face another day at work? If you are doing any or all of the above regularly then you need to reassess.

You find yourself constantly complaining about work: Everyone is allowed to have a good vent from time to time but if you are finding yourself constantly complaining about work and colleagues then it might be time for a change.

There is no room for advancement: If there is no room for career growth and advancement then it might be time to change jobs to one where you have the possibility to learn and develop new skills.

The work environment is toxic: A negative work environment can drag you down and extinguish your enthusiasm for your job and career. If your co-workers and boss are constantly complaining and are unhappy chances are you are too and its time to move on.

You can’t speak up: Every worker should be able to feel confident and safe to politely voice his or her views and opinions. If your workplace is oppressive and you don’t feel comfortable in ‘speaking up’ its time to look for new job.

The company culture is not a good fit for you: Every company has a different work culture, expectations and standards.

If your work culture is not a good fit for your working style and personal needs then its best to find an alternative that is.

You are constantly justifying staying in your job: If you are finding yourself making up reasons and excuses as to why your staying in a job then you are definitely ready to move on.

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WHEN ITS TIME TO QUIT A RELATIONSHIP Regardless of whether it is a relationship at work or personal, there are certain relationships that are not healthy. When you find yourself in one of these then it can often be very difficult to break ties. Here are some of the telling signs that it is time to call it quits on a relationship: Trust is broken: Trust is the most important factor in any and every relationship. Nothing weakens a relationship more than deceit.

You change when you are in their company: If you ever feel that you need to be “different” when you are in the company of another person then this is a tell tale sign that the relationship is dysfunctional. Healthy relationships are built on the foundation that you should be comfortable, at ease and completely true to yourself when you are in each other’s company.

You feel negative or ‘down’ after spending time with them: A positive relationship should make you feel great. Spending time with that person should make you feel stronger, better and more uplifted. If you find yourself in a relationship where you feel constantly sad or down around a person then it might be time to walk away.

They don’t actively listen to you: A person that values and respects their relationship with you will make time for you and actively listen to you.

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If they don’t then chances are they are not as invested in the relationship as they should be.

You are putting in all the work: Relationships are a two way street. If you are the one doing all the chasing and making all the compromises – then stop!

You are constantly being disappointed: If you can’t depend upon a person and they are regularly letting you down then it is very difficult to have a functional and healthy relationship with them. Consistency and dependability are key components to prosperous relations.

Saying goodbye is never easy whether it’s to a job or to a relationship but sometimes it is absolutely necessary in order to maintain your own mental health and emotional wellbeing. Take time to weigh up the pros and cons of any individual situation but don’t be frightened to make a break if you feel that your future happiness and fulfilment depends on it. Giving up on something toxic is not a mistake or a failure.

Putting yourself and your needs and happiness first will be your greatest success!

Lucia Hou DOES IT ALL yourcareermagazine.com | 31

Some people just seem to be able to take on the world without slowing and Lucia Hou is one of them.

Her career spans from winning Mrs Australia Globe Peoples Choice, Mrs Coral Sea Globe to Woman Of The Year 2018/2019 - just to name a few of her pageant titles - to ambassador for many philanthropic organisations here in Australia, to owner of a photography business and a property services company.

Add to her list of jobs, mothering two young children and it becomes difficult to imagine how busy life must be for Lucia.

“I manage my building and maintenance company and my children as my main priority. Having my own businesses allows me to be flexible to take conference calls and do philanthropy work in between,” Lucia explains.

“I balance all my social commitments to fall between the spare time and focus on areas that will make the greatest impact in that year. I also remember to honour myself and the people I love, so taking time for relationships I consider as my rewards. If you have a few hours a week to spare, you can indeed do so much, as a little goes a long way!”

Lucia Hou was born in Laos, the most bombed country in the world. The youngest of 11 siblings, her family escaped Laos when she was only 1 year old during the war.

In the still of the night my parents and 32 | yourcareermagazine.com

Lucia’s siblings escaped across the Mekong River in a canoe whilst armed soldiers lined the banks on guard. Her mother was forced to make the heart-breaking decision for the good of the whole family, to smother baby Lucia in her bosom every time she would cry out with fright, releasing her for a little bit of air when she would stop, knowing the crying would have been responsible for all their lives being in danger.

Lucia has lived in Australia for her whole life and now has approximately 200 immediate family members that have expanded into 3 generations of all different nationalities, including Greek, Indonesian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian and Philippine.

Her Italian name, Lucia, means ‘graceful light’. Fitting for one whose passion lies in photography, the art of capturing light. She has been described as an extremist in anything she puts her heart and soul into, whether it be diving, camping, roller blading or the many hats she wears in business.

Her focus is on influencing positive outcomes for change and empowerment and her career spans across many different platforms.

“My life aspiration encompasses passive self-improvement & inspiring others to live extraordinary lives whilst empowering their dreams and to always maintain integrity and empathy as a role model, providing great references in life, especially to my very own two children,” Lucia said.

Lucia has been blessed enough to be surrounded by people who provide great lessons and inspiration which has provided the footprint for her life's purpose. Since she was young, she was surrounded by a loving and encouraging family, who instilled compassion and great morals in her life.

"Ive had the pleasure of learning from so many successful people. I believe that you continue to grow with positive outcomes when you associate with people whom have achieved at a greater level then where you are at. I continue to learn with enthusiasm from people whom have achieved goals that I dream of reaching and then in return also mentor those whom look up to me, passing on the wisdom," she said.

Pacific South East Asia and Australia Director through my work in publication through the World Class Beauty Queens magazine as Editor In Chief.

“For International Women’s Day, I will be involved in holding an event called This Is Me, that will feature more than 30 models, some of which are blind, have disabilities, some elderly and all who have never been chosen to shine to celebrate their individualities,” Lucia said.

"If your heart tugs toward an issue of social injustice or you just want to help in anyway you can, listen to it, as the rewards are so great. There are so many foundations and organisations out there that you can be a part of, whether big or small."

It has become one of Lucia’s biggest driving forces – to impact lives.

“In 2019 I was able to impact the world by being featured in over 50 magazines and news articles for my platform Project Karma and the again in Australia by being featured on national television for my platform National Homeless Collective,” she said.

She also saw more than 10,000 people across Australia join her platform for Mental Health Foundation Australia Walk and already has big plans for this year.

“I will continue empowering women in the pageant industry through my appointment as Ms Asia

Learn more about Lucia's story at lulusecret.com.au

yourcareermagazine.com | 33

HEMI HOSSAIN:

Mindset

IS KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Hemi Hossain moved to Australia from Bangladesh in 1999 as an international student at RMIT. After graduating, he began working at a bank and was excelling in his career, working long hours and taking on more and more responsibility within the business.

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“My hard work eventually paid off, I was able to get a good job, my wife was with me in Melbourne, and she was working too. At my job my manager saw the potential in me and encouraged me to take on more responsibilities, I was performing well, and for the first time after moving to Australia, life started to seem excellent and smooth,” Hemi recalled.

However, success came at a price and, despite his achievements in his working life, his health took a turn for the worst. Hemi was hospitalised for four weeks due to severe pancreatitis, forcing him to slow the pace and reconsider what he truly wanted for his life.

“I began thinking, is this the life I really want? Am I who I want to be? I decided that if I am going to be ok through this illness, I will quit my job and find my own financial freedom, my time freedom and more space for my family,” Hemi said.

“I also wanted to help people and contribute to society, but if I continued doing what I was, despite having a good and secure job and a great employer, I would be failing myself.”

Unfortunately, like many of us, Hemi had his dreams but felt bound to his old life, so struggled to break away from what had become a comfortable career and take a risk to better his life for himself and those around him. He felt, firsthand, the many limiting beliefs business owners face every day – am I good enough? Will people want to

work with me? Do I deserve my own success?

In addition to this, Hemi, as an immigrant, was concerned about the negative impacts of working in a country where he did not fluently speak the language. After six years of putting off pursuing his desire to build his own business and help others, it was his then manager who gave him the final push.

“In 2012, my first son was born and I realised I was still stuck in the same loop. So, I finally quit my job…I began asking those around me what they thought, and one of my bosses told me that I was a person with natural leadership, so why didn’t I pursue that? She suggested life coaching, as that was one area that was really progressing,” he said.

Hemi took the leap, completed his life coaching training and threw himself into learning everything he could to create a platform to share, teach and encourage others to follow their hearts.

He found himself speaking to many immigrants, like himself, to help them map out the life they wanted in Australia as successful entrepreneurs.

Hemi decided the best move was to switch gears slightly, and tailor his services to career coaching and set up his initial 6-week program.

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As his experience, training and an array of clients increased, Hemi realised the importance of coaching in the digital entrepreneurship realm. He transformed his course into his signature 6-month digital entrepreneurship training, which has proved especially popular with women business owners.

“The world is all about digital and artificial intelligence at the moment.

Regardless of what your job is, you need digital marketing just to put yourself in the market, because if people don’t know you, they are not going to give you the work. The positive is that this means with just a computer and your skills, you can do business from anywhere in the world, and with a good strategy, you can sell anything,” Hemi said.

“For women who may be struggling with the demands of also raising kids and time management, I think it is a really beautiful time for business right now. With a virtual workplace and digitally mobile lifestyle, any aspiring women entrepreneur gets the flexibility to attain that balance. Digital business means the woman entrepreneur has the tools that she needs to build a business from home while creating a work schedule that allows her to balance work and family.”

Not only does this evolving business landscape change how we conduct ourselves in terms of marketing techniques, physical location and embracing automation, but from a coaching point of view, we need to 36 | yourcareermagazine.com

keep up in terms of our entrepreneurial skills and mindset.

“Staying on top of your entrepreneurial game all starts with having the right attitude and mindset that is willing to restructure, change and transform. In business, I tell my clients they need three ‘m’s’ – mindset, monetisation and marketing. This means that before you start anything, you need to have the mindset.

“As a business owner, you are everything – you are HR, you are the

marketing person, the accountant, the admin person. That means you need to know how to control your emotions, how to show leadership and how to manage your people and your business… When your mindset is right, you think clearer and your decision-making is much easier.

Mindset is key to any business because it must start from you.”

In addition to an open mind and willingness to learn, Hemi encourages people to understand their own personal limiting beliefs, and learn to let go of them and embrace

opportunity. He understands what it is like to doubt yourself and the courage needed to step out of your comfort zone and into something new.

“Some of the most limiting beliefs that I have heard from my clients were mine too. For example, when I started I was afraid I would not be able to convince my audience: I overcame that my encouraging myself to believe in myself and the service that I was offering. If you do not believe in yourself and your service, your customers won’t either,” Hemi said.

yourcareermagazine.com | 37

“Another big limiting belief is the question, what will happen when I fail?

This is not a wrong thought, self-doubt is natural, but do not let it not overcome your idea of becoming an entrepreneur. Let this doubt guide you to be better.�

Hemi offers the following advice for any professional or entrepreneur finding themselves plagued by doubt and fear.

There are trials and errors you have to go through before making your business a success. All you need to have is a mind that believes in your product/service and develops a positive attitude and mind, freeing it of the negativity.

Get out of your comfort zone, because that’s where the magic happens. Never hesitate to shift and move because of your personal insecurity.

Stop using perfectionism as an excuse to sabotage your entrepreneurial journey and procrastinate. Setting a high standard for oneself is good, but not at the expense of doing nothing.

Work with others and get help to achieve your dreams. Every individual, as well as an entrepreneur, has something different to offer. If you are unsure, hire a coach, he/she will identify your potential and help you to pursue that. Learn to embrace your uniqueness often, which women often see as a flaw.

38 | yourcareermagazine.com

Take a risk. Ask yourself, is this really what I want? If so, just go for it.

Women are less bold risk-takers; at times, this can be a drawback. Do not let your hope be squashed with self-doubt.

You deserve to be successful. This is one self-limiting belief I have seen a lot among the immigrant and Bangladeshi women. They fail to recognise their ability to contribute to the world and as an entrepreneur.

Everyone has a unique gift and talent to offer. It is our duty to recognise that and acknowledge our self-worth. It is only when you recognise your worth, others will too.

You never know how you might inspire others. When you have self-doubt, have it for a minute but do not let that not cripple you because your work can inspire someone else.

A growth mindset is essential to overcoming these, and many other personal, limiting beliefs. Hemi believes that life is an opportunity that should not be squandered, and in this fast-paced digital world, there are more opportunities to grow than ever before.

But, how do you develop a healthy growth mindset amongst the stress and pressure of business? In this age of digital entrepreneurship, there has never been a better time to reach for the stars. Hemi offers five simple suggestions to keep you on the right path:

you can use it to your benefit and improve, but always be authentic.

Celebrate others as well as your own success. This helps you to create a positive atmosphere and encourage you to aim higher. Celebrating others also helps you learn from their success, so you can deploy similar techniques in your own life, too.

Let Hemi show you how.

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To get your copy of Fire Your Boss; Transform Your Life From Employee to Digital Entrepreneur, visit growwithhemievents.com/fire-your-boss-dec

Be open to feedback. Listen to positive criticism and understand how yourcareermagazine.com | 39

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When we talk about having more freedom in our lives, we often focus on being financially secure and having a flexible, engaging job, or the chance to work less.

However, freedom is a broad term, and we can achieve different layers of it, in different ways.

Routine: Greater Freedom How It Leads To

When we think of ‘routine,’ initially, we think of things being restricted and rigid, or following someone else’s rules or timeline. However, the reality is quite the opposite. Bringing routine to your life can actually create space, calm, control, and more freedom as a result.

find that not having structure is the more mentally, emotionally, and physically draining option. To quote personal development guru Brian Tracy, “Good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form, but hard to live with.”

How? Well, it isn’t as much work as you may think, and once you start creating more habits in your life, you’ll

Here’s what you need to know about establishing a positive daily routine to give you more freedom. yourcareermagazine.com | 41

Create what works for you Be aware that a personal routine is just that; personal. Create day-to-day habits that work for your lifestyle, your family and other commitments. Don’t read about the routines of famous people and think you have to follow suit.

It’s more important to schedule tasks based on when you have the most energy and clarity each day, and when you don’t. Decide on a routine that helps you to be your best and most productive and happy self.

Routine works better than willpower To maximise your days, it helps to have good willpower so you do the tasks you may not want to do or feel like doing. However, studies have shown that willpower is a finite resource that runs out as the day goes on. This is where having a routine comes to the rescue.

Once you’ve gotten used to a new routine, you’ll start doing things without having to think too much about them, or having to force yourself to get started. Routines tell your brain what’s expected of it, and send messages about what needs to come next. This reduces decision fatigue and the stress and lack of motivation that so often gets in the way of taking action.

In turn, you expend less effort. You’re more likely to have time each week for what matters to you, and you will find

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it easier to get into the helpful “flow” state, too, for greater productivity.

Simplify your life and reduce stress Another benefit of having routines is that they can simplify life. Use routines to tackle complex situations and to deal with an overwhelming workload.

Plus, keep in mind that scheduling your week, with time not just for actual tasks but also for planning, thinking, strategising, meditating, deep breathing, journaling, exercising, eating well, decompressing with relaxing activities, and the like will help you to combat stress and feel better.

This is particularly important for people who battle anxiety. If you get into a routine whereby you check in with yourself at a certain point (or two or three) each day to see what you’re worrying about and then address it, things won’t build up so much.

Furthermore, developing a specific bedtime routine has been proven to help those who suffer from insomnia to go to sleep and rest more effectively.

“Good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with.

Bad habits are easy to form, but hard to live with.”

Improve skills

Boost self-confidence

Another reason to start putting routines in place is that doing so means you’ll be practicing different skills on a more regular basis. If you want to build skills in any area, task repetition is required, and having a schedule for doing this each week is key. After all, as Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Create a positive routine and you will build momentum and move forward, achieving your goals more quickly.

All of this means that your self-confidence should increase. When you know you’re getting more done each day, feel better, and have more energy, are improving skills and reaching goals more quickly, you will feel better about yourself and your abilities. You’ll also know that when more challenging periods arise, you’ll be able to handle them.

yourcareermagazine.com | 43

Khang Pham:

Key Tips To Weathering A Financial Storm

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The financial market is uncertain, it always has been. The GFC in 2007-2008 proved this unquestionably, with not only businesses but individuals and families losing their hard-earned investments due to reasons beyond their control.

However, even as the world’s finances has somewhat settled over the past 12 years, we are never out of the woods.

Khang Pham of Melbourne-based Pandora Financial Services has over 22 years experience in the banking industry, gaining a wealth of knowledge around financial services.

He now urges everyone, particularly women and families, to carefully plan their investments, earning potential and outgoings to ensure they stay on top in the event of an unexpected crisis or downturn.

“The finance industry is still unsettled and with continued focus by the regulators, it will remain on this path for some time to come. More important than ever, families need to keep an eye on their income and spending with uncertainty in the economy,” said Khang.

His key piece of advice is to ensure you have a leak-proof financial plan that you are willing – and able – to properly execute. It is one thing to set up your finances in neat little spreadsheets, but if you cannot make it work in practice, something needs to change. Think ahead to major events such as birthdays and Christmas, and take a reality check on your cash flow by tracking and measuring your monthly net position.

Your plan provides you with financial security and stability when there is a financial crisis. For example, in a widespread financial crisis, often jobs are the first things that go.”

“Have a solid financial plan and goal in place, but also make sure you execute your plan to achieve your goals."

“As people cut back on spending, the need for retail presence and service decreases, along with the staffing needed to manage it. If you have a sound financial plan and goals, you will be well geared to weather any financial crisis,” Khang said.

Alternate and passive income streams are very effective ways of solidifying your financial position, helping to eliminate debt and boosting savings for a rainy day. Khang highly recommends everyone look at their passive income options and take steps to set up a stream that works for you and your current position.

yourcareermagazine.com | 45

At Pandora Financial Services, for example, Khang and his team provide an opportunity for clients to create an additional income stream using their home loan. This includes various loan options, investments, supporting the self-employed and creating self-managed super funds.

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There is a host of other passive income streams now readily promoted, including rental property, stocks, high yield saving accounts or even affiliate marketing. Passive income is particularly useful for women and families who may need an additional income stream in the case of one partner being unable to work.

“For example, these options give career women more choices if they decide to start a family. They can choose to stay home a bit longer, without the financial stress that comes with it.”

Khang’s final piece of advice for people looking to improve their financial security is to get moving on debt consolidation – however you

must cut up the credit card afterwards.

There are many options here, including through banks and smaller lenders, so it pays to do your research.

If in doubt, seek the help of an expert to guide you in the right direction, and you will be well-placed to ride out any financial crisis that comes your way. pandorafinancialservices.com.au

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Communication is NOT a soft skill

By Iris Du

What is the meaning of communication? Communication is the act of conveying meanings from one person to another through understood signs, symbols or speaking. Relaying a message isn’t only reliant on the words you use but the way you say it, your expressions and your non-verbal cues.

Most people believe communication is just a soft skill or a trait that people will automatically have however, it’s something that constantly needs to be improved as there is always a next level to master your communication. If you think about it…

Having great communication skills is a REQUIREMENT no matter the position or level you are in, in any organisation.

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You are constantly required to speak to leaders, managers, team member and clients and there is never just one way to do so.

If you look around you, having great communication skills are not just expected in any type of organisations.

It is also expected in your business, career and your personal life.

After coaching so many clients I have noticed the common mistakes that people make when it comes to communicating with others.

One is that they fail to articulate what they have in mind and deliver it to others. It is a common thought that as long as something makes sense to you, it makes sense to others in the same way.

Because they think as long as it makes sense in their head, it will make sense when they say it.

However, we all process and understand things differently.

What something means to you, may mean something completely different to another person as we all have different perspectives.

of voice to understand you.

Therefore, here are some tips on how to communicate better in your personal and professional life.

1. Imagine you are going to communicate it to a 12-year-old This doesn’t mean to treat everyone like they are younger than you but to simplify your instructions to avoid complications. If a 12-year-old is able to understand you, then you know you are winning.

“There is always more than one way to understand something.�

Imagine not being able to say anything to someone but only depending on body language to understand what they mean. Or not being able to see them but only pay attention to the tone of their voice as they deliver instructions to you.

It will be quite challenging.

According to statistics, from saying a sentence to another person, it takes them words, non-verbal cues and tone

2. If you do not understand something, ask more or better questions

Asking questions to clarify the meaning of someone will only aid your understanding in what you are supposed to do.

If you seem to be thinking that you need to clarify something more than once, then you might need to think about how to reword your question to ensure both parties are on the same page.

3. Always reconfirm with someone that they understand Remember to always ask someone if they understand what you mean as even the slightest details matter in any situation. The best way to do it is to

yourcareermagazine.com | 49

get them to go over the instructions to repeat it back to you to see how they have understood it.

Here’s a fun exercise to do to test how differently everyone in your team perceives a statement or word: Ask your team to gather around and think of what a simple word means to them.

(Examples: Communication, Teamwork, Leaders, Hardworking, etc.)

You will then be shocked at how differently these words mean to each person with what their priorities or perspectives are.

And seeing this is a great reminder for all of us. That we should never assume. Always communicate and Ask :) So, let me ask you this‌ Are you currently using these steps to ensure you are communicating the right way?

What Next? If you would like to know how you can improve your communication skills so you can master your career success?

Iris Book in a consultation today

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