We are passing through changing times ... challenging times ... and tough times.   And people are concerned more than ever before about the security of their jobs and their futures. 

What makes the situation so much more difficult is the way some people handle such tough times. In view of frequent company downsizings and lay-offs, many employees say "I want to know what my union is going to do to save my job. How is the government going to make sure I don't lose my job?" And so on.

No one is asking "what am I going to do about it?" Everyone has shifted the responsibility for job security or career progress to and pointed the finger at somebody else. And that is a risky position.

We must not blame other people and external forces in our lives and begin choosing appropriate responses.

So I ask you, are you taking responsibility for yourself, your job, and your future?  Or are you simply sitting on the sidelines, hoping things work out?

Well I can tell you from experience, no highly successful person ever got that way by waiting for good things to happen. They take responsibility and actions for making good things happen.

So what are the appropriate responses to these challenging, insecure times? 

1.  Focus on your replacement value.

In most of the cases; the size of a person's paycheck is determined by how difficult he or she is to replace. The more difficult they are to replace, the more indispensable they are, the more money they tend to make.  And the more job security they tend to enjoy. 

• What are you going to do to increase your value to your current employer as well as your future employers?

• How are you increasing your indispensability? Are you making yourself irreplaceable?

• What will you do to make yourself so valuable that you’re the least likely to be cut or the last to be cut?

2.  Cut the excuses.

Stop finding excuses for NOT upgrading your skills, for NOT learning more, or getting better.  Stop saying, "I don't have time, I can't afford to, my employer should take on the responsibility of training me or It's the government's job to look after my future and me".

Stop whining "If these classes are going to give me skills I'll use on the job, my employer had better pay for them.  And my company had better offer the classes during regular work hours.  And if I have to go to classes on my time, I should get overtime pay."

3.  Refuse to settle for "good enough."

Good enough does not win championships or make people excellent, wealthy, or healthy. Champions know that "good enough" is never "enough."

4. Always learn and get more education.

The greatest minds and highest achievers are committed to continual personal growth and self-development.

You need to keep on taking classes and reading books.  It's one of the best ways to make you more valuable and harder to replace. And don't say you don’t have time.  Well we've all got the same amount of time.  It's just a matter of adjusting your priorities. Take one hour from TV time and go read that book.