Five in the Morning: Wake up and smell the opportunities edition

OK, everybody. Steve Woodruff put me at the helm of Five in the Morning today (I know, what was he thinking?!) and I’m going to rouse you from your mental slumber with a few inspiring posts from some of my favorite bloggers. It’s time to stop talking about how awful everything is and open ourselves up to opportunities. What’s that? You have to get a few more things off your chest? Go right ahead. I’ll wait.

Ready? I think I’ve got something for everyone here. Have at it!

Get the job
I never miss Penelope Trunk’s (Brazen Careerist) posts, and you’ll know why when you read How to Beat the System and get a Great Job. Penelope tells it to you straight. I don’t always agree with her but I love her intelligence, candor and knack for creative solutions. I’m offering a two-for-one here with Rachel Created a Job for Herself from Connie Bensen’s Community Strategist blog. Because times are tough. And the post is too good to pass up.

Get social
Eric Brown is one of social media’s unsung heroes. Why isn’t he in the limelight more? Because he’s busy actually using social media to nurture and encourage relationships – in this case, between landlords and residents. Meet Eric in How to be a Social Guerilla from The Marketing Spot by Jay Ehret.

Get it done
Sonia Simone’s Remarkable Communication blog never fails to offer a new perspective on things. The Mad Ninja Skill for Getting Anything Done reveals an amazing, super-secret skill for mastering all those tasks that are jumbled in your head. Cute pic alert.

Get learning
If you’re not making mistakes you’re not learning. If you are making mistakes, good for you! Extra points if you’re making mistakes and admitting it so others can learn from them – and not feel so dumb. Mack Collier, social media’s most humble rockstar, shares his in My Biggest Social Media Mistakes.

Get brave
Fear is normal but, left unchecked, it can grow to epic proportions. The good news is fear loses power in the light. Leo Babauta, author of Zen Habits, helps you flush out your demons with Conquer the Fears Lurking in the Dark Corners of Your Mind.

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Photo credit: Lutherankorean via Flickr