But job stress can also be a killer! Unless you know how to manage it.

Over the long, grueling road to job success, you run the risk of making a very human mistake . . . over-extending yourself. Taking on more than you can handle . . . never saying "no" when offered a new project or more work.

For example, you want to make an indelible impression when the boss asks to work over the weekend on his pet project. So you accept, hoping to prove your dedication.

Five things can happen as a result of never turning down the boss or accepting additional work:

1. You set a bad precedent. Putting in extra hours should be an exception rather than the rule.

2. When a crisis occurs, guess who'll be called upon to resolve it--and put in the brutal extra hours to get the job done.

3. The sad aftermath is that your job becomes your life and, over time, the quality of your life tanks.

4. Your routine work will suffer as well.

5. Without realizing it, the constant pressure of non-stop work creates enormous and debilitating job stress.

So what's an ambitious, competitive comer to do to manage this potentially fatal flaw masquerading as an on-the-job virtue?

Well, the best answer, of course, is to become aware that stress is hammering away at your mind and body. Perhaps through this article, you can take a step back and do a quick self-analysis. And take the time to reverse the kind of job stress that lead to breakdown.

There's something else to aware of. Part of the problem is that we've been taught to rollover at our boss' command even before we accept a job. Nothing could be further from the truth . . . if you're in control of the job search process and know how to negotiate a job description and job expectations.

This revolutionary concept of negotiating your job expectations is all part of the amazing alternative job search and non-traditional career advancement revolution. When you're in charge of your career progress right from the gitgo the opportunity to get over-stressed is dramatically minimized . . . all without back-tracking.

So, you're still ambitious, and a climber and an achiever--but without the job stress.