Q: Consular Officers work to help arrange international adoptions, evaluate travel requests from foreign nationals, assist in evacuating Americans stationed abroad, combat fraud, and fight human trafficking organizations.  Consular Officers are expected to be strategic planners with crisis management skills, capable of protecting US citizens while working to serve US interests abroad.  Consular Officers are trained in resolving child custody disputes, overseeing arrests and detentions, issuing travel advisories, and addressing and responding to emergencies abroad. Economic Officers serve as liaisons with foreign government representatives on foreign and domestic issues related to technology, science, economic developments, trade negotiations, energy crises, and environmental interests.  Economic Officers must be skillful negotiators capable of building and maintaining mutually-beneficial trade relations with other nations.  Economic Officers are trained in economics, trade, commercial diplomacy policies, energy issues, or environmental issues, depending on that officer's assignment. Management Officers help facilitate all embassy operations across all departments.  Management Officers are required to be fast thinkers who are capable of devising problem-solving strategies in the face of challenging situations.  Management Officers are trained in a variety of professional areas, depending on the needs of that officer's appointment office. Political Officers are responsible for analyzing the political climate of their host country. Political Officers must be able to effectively communicate and negotiate as needed with representatives of foreign governments.  Political Officers are required to be well-informed and must possess the skills to effectively interpret situations and negotiate with other agencies on issues of international interest.  Political Officers are trained to solicit support from foreign government agencies to help move US interests and shared international goals forward. Public Diplomacy Officers engage with government officials and non-governmental groups, including political think tanks, civil society members, and academic leaders, with the goal of promoting mutual interests and building support for American international policies.  Public Diplomacy Officers are expected to be skilled experts in cross-cultural interests and relations while advocating for American policies and values abroad.  Public Diplomacy Officers are trained in communicating American history, values, and traditions to foreign audiences in order to build international support for American policies.
A: Prepare for a Consular Officer's duties. Prepare for an Economic Officer's duties. Prepare for a Management Officer's duties. Prepare for a Political Officer's duties. Prepare for a Public Diplomacy Officer's duties.

Q: You can create a mantra yourself or use a quote. Make a habit of saying your mantra aloud at scheduled times during the day, such as when you wake up, at lunch, or right before bed. It’s also helpful to post your mantras.  Examples of great mantras include “Every day is a new beginning and a chance for change,” “I’m strong, powerful, and can achieve my goals,” and “If I believe it, I can achieve it.” If you want to post your mantras, you can use something basic like post-it notes, or you can opt for art prints that incorporate the quote. Post them on your refrigerator, near your bathroom mirror, or on the walls of your home. Choose a place where you'll see them every day. Everyone has an internal voice, and it’s not always friendly. Turning that voice toward the positive, however, can change your life for the better. You can do this by catching negative thoughts and reframing them in a positive way. Additionally, consciously tell yourself positive things about yourself, your life, and your goals.  For example, your mind may say to you, “You’re not good enough.” You can switch this around and say, “I am good enough, but sometimes I get overwhelmed when faced with challenges. Tomorrow things will look different.” In general, tell yourself things like, “I’m proud of myself for working hard every day,” “I’ve accomplished a lot, and the best is yet to come,” and “I know I can do this if I keep working hard.” This is especially helpful for people with long-term goals. Complete a mini-goal that’s related to your long-term goal, or try something that’s always intimidated you. Keep in mind that accomplishing something can mean just giving it a try.  For example, if your goal is to perform your own music, you could boost your confidence by participating in an open mic night. If you’re feeling like you’re in a life rut, you could accomplish something bold from your bucket list, such as skydiving. This will give you a sense of control over what you’re doing with your life, which helps your motivation. It’s normal to not enjoy parts of your journey toward your goal. You may love your job but hate parts of your workday, or you might want to run a cross-country marathon but hate running hills. You can alter your perception of something by imagining it getting dimmer and then inserting new emotions about it. For example, imagine that your stress about deadlines is fading away, then imagine how good you feel when you finish a project.  Focus on the aspects of these activities that you enjoy or that benefit you. For example, running up hills may be difficult, but it also gives you a better view of the landscape. One way to do this is to focus on what you are actually doing and feeling while you do the activities you don’t enjoy. For example, you may hate work meetings, but you could focus on the change of scenery, the opportunity to chat with your coworkers, or the chance to make a good impression on your boss. Make friends who are on a similar journey as you, or join a group for like-minded individuals. They can be awesome motivators to stay on track, and they may even have useful advice for times when you’re struggling.  Look for like-minded friends online or at places related to your goal. For example, you could attend an open mic night to meet other aspiring musicians. You can also look for groups on sites like meetup.com. Don’t spend time with people who are dragging you down. Instead, choose your motivators. It’s so tempting to compare yourself to other people, but this is always a mistake. No matter how well you are doing, you will always rank yourself second. It’s better to compare yourself to you! Consider where you were in the past and where you are now. Try to be better than past you was.  When you catch yourself comparing yourself to others, remind yourself that you’re likely seeing their highlight reel -- not the nitty gritty of every day. The only fair comparison is between you and yourself. Make a list of your positive traits and accomplishments to remind yourself of how far you’ve already come! By acknowledging everything you have to be grateful for, you can create the positive mindset you need to stay motivated. Write down everything good in your life, especially the things you’ve worked hard to get. Post your list somewhere you can see it, such as on your refrigerator or on your phone’s lockscreen.  It’s best to make gratitude lists often. You might even write down 3-5 things you’re grateful for every day. Over time, your gratitude list will make you feel more positive about your life, which helps improve your motivation to keep working toward what’s important to you.
A:
Choose a mantra or set of mantras that motivate you. Use positive self-talk. Boost your confidence via an accomplishment. Reframe activities that you don’t enjoy. Connect with others who share your goals. Compare yourself to past you, not others. Make a gratitude list.