Congratulations, you earned that well-paying, long-term job and achieved a level of professional success you planned for since you graduated from college. Figuring out the next step in your life is a crucial next step. Discover three quick tips for growing your career as you learn to embrace your passion and become the best person you can possibly be.
1. Write Out a Plan
Now that you have a great job in place, you can sit back and marvel at where you've been and where you plan to go in the next five to 10 years. Ask yourself what you want in life, and map out a plan for growing your career. Do you want more money? Do you have a better job title? Would you like to branch out and own your own business?
The answers to your questions determine what steps you need to take now to achieve those goals. First, write down your goals so you have concrete ideas inside your head of where you are now and how you plan to reach the next level. Written goals help you determine what matters most to you, and they help sharpen your focus so you get what you want out of your journey towards those goals. For example, if you're a mid-level manager now and want to be an executive in five years, write down what you need to do to make that happen, whether you need more education, to expand your network or to gain more experience.
One way to think about reaching your goals is to realize why this particular moment, right here and now, exists in your career. Are you in your current position as a stepping stone to a supervisory position? Are you retooling your entire professional life, or are you trying something new to see if you like it before switching careers? When you try out new things a little at a time, you handle transitions easier. Just make sure your steps align with your goals.
2. Eschew Complacency
Always stay hungry for more. When you embrace your passion, you naturally gravitate to growing your career in a way that makes you happy. Find your motivation and tap into it to discover the driving force behind accomplishing the daily tasks that lead to achieving your larger goal. For instance, you might recognize that making customers happy is the reason why you arrive to work 15 minutes early each day and leave 30 minutes late. When you align your goals with that motivation, you work more ardently to achieve those goals and you maintain higher energy levels on your path to success.
3. Maximize Productivity
Growing your career happens when you put more energy towards that aim. Instead of checking your personal social media posts for 20 minutes on your afternoon break, read a book about leadership. Rather than listen to your favorite tunes during the morning commute, take in a podcast related to your field. Never stop learning as you strive to enhance your professional life.
These three quick steps make growing your career easier and more fruitful, no matter where your passions lead you. What do you do on a daily basis to motivate your professional growth?
Photo courtesy of piikcoro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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