We need to go back and start at the beginning. That means doing an internal audit of yourself. As I often tell my clients, career development is an inside game. We go inside before we look outside. If you want to achieve your career potential, you must first get totally clear on such questions as who you are, what's important to you, what you really want and need, what your long-term goals are, what motivates you, what your professional preferences are, and more.

Only after you've gained clarity on these issues does it makes sense to go out into the world and manifest your own unique vision of career success. Getting into resumes, interviewing, negotiating, networking, and all the other typical job search topics before you've laid a strong foundation will only create frenzied activity without forward movement. Perhaps you've already experienced this. It can be very frustrating, depressing, and—worst of all—demotivating. As you work through the strategies and use the tools in this part of the book, keep in mind the following words of career wisdom: