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Dear Mr. Lloyd,
Hi sir. I’ve read your column
last week and I was really moved by it, as if I was the one being
there in the situation. I’m a graduating student and until now,
I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to land to my dream job.
I also bought a copy of your book
and based on your statistics, I feel like being challenged. Can you
tell me what makes a person successful in their chosen career?
Thanks a lot, sir.
[Name withheld]
Dear buddy,
Wow, thanks for buying (and
reading) my book Is There A Job Waiting for You? For sure, you got
it from National Bookstore. I presume that Nanay Coring’s empire
is already giving me a prime space to display my book. It is
graduation time and we’re once again caught between questions: Is
there really a job for us, or none.
Most probably, 8 out 10 would say
“there is none.” But let me take you to a place where we can
find the answer to your question. What makes a person successful in
their chosen field is something that is seldom found outside. It
lies within most of the time.
Just last week, I was invited to
judge the very first College of Arts Idol at the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines. For me, judging such a contest
isn’t only a privilege but a joy that I’d be able to spot
potential talents, give my comments, and simply throw some advice
from an outsider. I’ve been into music for more than 7 years now,
and trust me even when I’m asleep I can still hear the flow of
melody and harmony of songs I’ve composed or arranged.
During the competition, I’ve
seen very clearly who could have done better and who really did
best—from stage presence, to attitude, to voice quality. There
were several talents and all of them gave the best performance, I am
sure.
But life really is not
competition. All I can say though is that there is a competition in
it. Competition is just part and parcel of life. And when we
compete, we can either win or lose. But the moment we understand
that winning isn’t about being the first, we would know that we
need to work more on ourselves than to work on our opponent.
Of all the candidates, I chose
Karla Villegas because all in all I knew she had what it takes to
take it. And I think what she had during the contest could also work
as formula for any one who wants to make it to the top. If you’re
to commit to personal achievement and personal development, the
following are some signs and reasons why you are to succeed.
Sing a song that fits you. The
same applies to our career life, right? If Mathematics is something
that you’re not good at, then try English. Look for that fit. If
you can’t do a business, then look forward to being the best
executive. Just select a song the fits your voice. You can also try
hard as long as you can without getting what you want
Interpret the song clearly. When
asked what I’d like to see on the performance, I said I’d like
to see more on the song interpretation because I had no problem with
their renditions. You can’t sing a sad song with a big smile.
Learn how to interpret your career and where it’s going to take
you. You’ve got to make other people see your difference from
others who sing the same song, in this case others who have the same
career line as yours.
Work on the details. One thing
that made me choose Karla is her ability and passion to
details—tiny, little, high notes sung and delivered perfectly.
While others did a great performance, they could have done better if
only they had paid attention to the details of their pieces. Same
goes with your career. God is in the details. The beauty and the
difference lie in those that cannot be seen outright by the naked
eyes. Look at your skills. Refine them. Add more skills. Develop
them.
I’d like to thank the
organizers of the PUP-CA Idol 2007 for having me judged your very
entertaining project. You guys did great by providing a venue to
showcase the best in the PUPians. Count this as one of your legacies
not only to your school, but to your fellow scholars.
To your life best designed,
LLOYD LUNA 
[Lloyd Luna, the author of Is
There a Job Waiting for You? is a career philosopher, a website
engineer and a motivational speaker. He is the president and CEO of
LLOYDLUNA Communications. Do e-mail at Lloyd@lloydluna.com and visit
www.lloydluna.com. To send message type LUNA <your message>
send to 2299.]
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