Archive for February, 2010

Think Ahead One Year or More

February 11th, 2010

Those who get ahead often plan steps in advance. It takes years to be an over night success. Don’t let bad economic news hold you back from thinking forward. When hiring begins to grow you need to be ready. Do you know where you want to be in 1, 2 or 5 years? When someone asked Oprah what was next five years ago she said she wanted to have her own network; insiders knew she would have it. Each of us is no different when it comes to elevating our career — planning pays off.

At companies the same thing happens; employees are rewarded for planning ahead. Most employees, low-level managers to top vice presidents, are taken by surprise when promotion opportunities arise. The people who actually get the best jobs have been planning their strategy for one year or more. The same rules apply to changing career fields. Don’t wait until you are ready to quit. Launch your new career on the side. Remain employed and take active steps months before leaving. Upward mobility requires looking ahead to make things happen.

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Does Passion Matter at Work?

February 3rd, 2010

This question caught my attention in U.S. News, “Does passion really matter at work?” What do you think? Well, it’s probably no surprise that the answer is, yes, it absolutely matters! It is not just fluff. Here are 3 reasons why passion is one of the best investments you can make in your career:

It helps you feel more confident. For too many people, work is about getting up in the morning and trying to be someone they’re not. Not only does that drain their energy, it also keeps them off balance. Think of someone standing on one leg with the other leg up in the air and their arms waving, trying to keep their balance. They’re deathly afraid that someone is going to come up and bump into them, because they’re already in danger of falling over. Trying to be who you’re not in your career is a little like that. You have to put extra effort into doing what doesn’t come naturally. Maintaining the façade keeps you off balance.

It’s an energy source. When you’re on fire about what you do, it energizes you, and you can put that energy back into your work. Instead of the energy drain your work actually becomes an energy gain. So not only are you getting energy from what you’re doing, you also aren’t having to dig into your energy reserves just to get through the day. When you’re aligned with what energizes you, it’s like having both feet solidly planted on the floor. The energy differential is huge in helping you feel confident about your work.

It feeds your persistence. The odds are good that, whatever your career path you are going to run into roadblocks and bumps along the way. When you’re doing something in pursuit of what energizes and inspires you, those roadblocks and bumps are a lot easier to take. Don’t get me wrong. They never become enjoyable, but their size relative to your objective is smaller.

I have suffered bumps and bruises in pursuit of something I didn’t really care about (my past career) while I’m in pursuit of something I am over the moon about (my current career), I have to tell you, the difference is night and day. In the path I love, persistence, confidence and energy come naturally as a daily part of the job.

- U.S. News article by: Curt Rosengren, career author

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