All the world's a stage and it's time to stand out!

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players" - William Shakespeare, As You Like It.

Early this morning saw two of the greatest boxers the world has ever known compete for the biggest purse in boxing history.

Floyd 'Money' Mayweather and Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao locked horns in battle on the world boxing stage at the MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas.

Like many I'm sure - I was up in the small hours to witness history in the making, real-time.

Watching their fight I started thinking - what lead to this defining moment? Why them and not anyone else?

Mayweather and Pacquiao both started as unknowns. Sure, Mayweather was born into a boxing family, but his father nor uncle can ever claim the success their protégé has enjoyed.

Pacquiao had an even more remarkable rise to greatness - the fourth of six siblings he was spurred to pursue a professional boxing career after the death of a close friend.

The following is just my opinion, but there are potential lessons for anyone.

So back to my original question - why them and not anyone else?

1) They weren't afraid to stand out - where others may have shied away from fame, they embraced it and their legacy is now etched in history. Many people I come across in the job market or in business crave success but aren't brave enough to put themselves out there.

Exposure means potential criticism or rejection, but it can also mean a world of opportunity if embraced. Remember, we all have a choice as to who and what we listen to - if there's fire in your heart, listen to those who'll add more fuel and ignore those who only wish to pour on water.

My wife asked me today - why are people happy when others fail? I thought about it for a while and then it hit me - there's safety in numbers. Discouraging someone who strives for more gives the person criticising comfort. The thing they fear the most is the person brave enough to try, as it exposes their own fears and shortcomings.

2) They worked hard consistently - success is never about quick wins. Neither were born as superstar athletes, they worked tirelessly to get to where they are. Someone once said to me that to be successful all you have to do is keep going - if you keep going long enough, failure will eventually quit.

3) They do the little things better - some of the post fight commentary is of the opinion that the fight didn't live up to expectations. Just because there wasn't blood spilled or a knockout finish, doesn't make it a bad fight. Carl Froch commenting at ringside summed it up when he said that he had been 'mesmerised' by Mayweather's skills.

We can all throw a punch, but to evade and counter as Mayweather does instinctively takes years of practice and is something to be appreciated - he just does the little things better.

.........

You're probably thinking - what does this have to do with the job market - after all this is a blog on the Career Codex website?

It has everything to do with the job market!

Success in the job market is all about standing out - blending in might feel safe, but it's not where career change, career advancement or job satisfaction lives.

You don't find success overnight - it takes time and lots of hard work. For example, if you are are looking for your next senior executive position, it could take 6 - 12 months of planned and proactive work.

It's all in the detail - we've all written a CV, cover letter or performed at interview, but doing the little things better is often the difference between success and failure.

I cover all of this and more in my new book - Super Secrets of Successful Executive Job Search, which will be published very soon. For a free taste and additional bonus content, please click here.

For more information on Career Codex, please click here.