The Tom Peters Reinvention Tour

When Tom Peters first wrote about Brand You back in 1997 in reference to careering, it was cool. Now in 2004, he says it's "life or death". We certainly all listened to him back then when the economy was roaring, now Fast Company has featured his latest article "Brand You Survival Kit" where he lets us know that a passive approach to professional growth will leave us by the wayside. It certainly sounds like Tom went to a Madonna Reinvention Tour Concert and stole a lot of her ideas for his new economy turned old economy book redux, Re-imagine!; check them out:

Tom warns:
-White-collar jobs are being offshored
-The possibility of lifetime employment is evaporating before our very eyes

Tom's career advice:
-Be the Boss of Your Own Show
-Think about Great Gigs You Want
-Be a Spin Doctor (On each gig, you must be marketing your worth, marketing Me, Inc.)
-Master Something
-Laugh Off the Fabulous Screwup
-Embrace Ambiguity
-Love the Career Game You're Playing
-Loyalty Isn't Dead
-Appreciate New Technology
-Never Be Satisfied

His closing mantra, again kinda relevant to Madonna's own career: be distinct ... or extinct.