Whether we're at work or at the mall, people often judge us based on two criteria -- very superficial ones, I might add -- in our daily lives: (1) what we own and (2) what we've accomplished. Ever heard the expression, "You are what you eat?" A more accurate version would be, "You are what you wear, what you drive, what you have in your wallet, and what you do for a living." It's a testament to how shallow society has become. Granted, your job is important in that it's part of who you are. But I find it rather unsettling that people would measure others' worth based on what brands they sport and what their title is. For example, a friend of mine is incredulous at the fact that I have no aspirations to become a vice president or CEO. I've told him repeatedly that managing others and spending most of my time in meetings doesn't appeal to me. I'd much rather remain low enough in the food chain where I'm making a decent ...

While some of us may aspire to rise the ranks of our current companies and become VPs or CEOs, others may be thinking about starting our own businesses. What would you say is your top career goal? It's okay not to have an answer to that question at the moment, as many of us are still on a seemingly neverending quest to determine what our true calling is. I know mine is writing, which is precisely why I hope to write a book someday. In the meantime, I aim to continue enhancing and pumping more and more content into this blog while securing writing positions of increasing complexity in my copywriting/editing career (i.e., my day job). And the truth of the matter is that not everyone seeks to be a manager, or is even cut out for it. Some people would rather remain in production-driven roles, where they're truly at their best, than transition into a more strategy-oriented position. And while some people would love to have subordinates, others loathe the thought of people repo...