One of the more interesting things about our lives is we’re continually seeking two diametrically opposed things. On the one hand, we seek the security and certainty we find in keeping things the way they are. On the other hand, we seek growth and progress, which change the way things are. The outcome of change is almost always uncertain, and how you manage the elements of certainty and uncertainty can greatly affect your life. In some aspects, certainty and uncertainty have come to control virtually every waking moment of our lives. No matter who you are,

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Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure. “Oh, I already have a friend there. I’ll just contact him.” In the job market, it’s one of the more common things we hear after informing a job seeker that a certain employer has a job opening. There is a lot you need to consider before you decide to apply to a job through a friend or relative, or take a job working for a friend or relative. First, it’s exceedingly rare that a friend or family

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When I was around 10 years old, one day my stepfather stayed home from work. He had a bad stomach ache the night before and had felt very sick. I remember he had gotten sick at around 8:00 in the evening and had been ill most of the night. His illness continued into the early afternoon that day and I remembered when I went to school, that morning I could hear him moaning from his illness. I remember the atmosphere in the house was just that we thought he was ill with some sort of a serious

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Several years ago when looking for a position in Los Angeles, I interviewed with numerous law firms. In virtually every one of these interviews I ran across an attorney who knew not one, not two, not three—but numerous, numerous attorneys in my current firm. If this is the case in a market the size of Los Angeles (and the market in Los Angeles is huge), I cannot even imagine what it must be like in smaller markets. For example, I’m from Detroit. I grew up in a suburb of Detroit. When it came time for me to decide where to work after law school, when I started interviewing with firms in Detroit I knew many of the attorneys before I even arrived at the interviews–they were the parents of people I grew up with. The following are my suggestions for the best way to prepare for a job search and interviews: 1. Know you are always being watched, observed, and judged When I was in high school, I remember one of the best looking girls in my school was known to be a prude and someone who would date boys but never let anything all that exciting happen. She was also a star athlete and a student council leader and a very respected student. My parents were divorced and lived about an hour apart. I lived with my father. The funny thing is that this same girl also

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Trusting people and being ready to take advantage of opportunity when it presents itself are two of the greatest skills anyone can have. My life has been enriched in so many ways by often trusting people I shouldn’t have and by being aware of opportunities. I have always been eager to trust people who don’t appear to be trustworthy, because I know that in the act of trusting them I can allow them to see themselves as better people. It also feels good to show people that you trust them. Fundamentally, I have a belief that deep down all people are good.

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