It was Confucius who said, “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
When you are doing what you love, you would be inspired to develop yourself to make maximum impact in your field. At midlife, the mere desire to grow and reach your potential is not enough to empower you to make the significant contribution you need, there are six aspects of your career that you should know.
1. Career Attitude - Knowing how to feel.
If you believe you can grow to your potential, that opens the door to continual self improvement. “It is your attitude, more than your aptitude, that will determine your altitude” - Zig Ziglar. You alone have the power to determine if your career will advance or decline at midlife and it starts from your attitude.
“Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved” - John C. Maxwell
2. Career Priorities - Knowing how to choose.
Select the few things you can do well and focus your time and energy on these things. Now that you have a positive attitude towards your career drive, the next step is to determine what part of your career matters most to you and you have the greatest skill in it.
3. Career Vision - Knowing how to see.
Develop the ability to keep seeing new next levels, cultivate a visionary sense. You have built a positive attitude and set your priorities straight, but can you dream big? It takes courage to dream big because it seems unrealistic at the moment. In our last post, we talked about midlife mindsets; you have to break the stronghold of fear that prevents you from dreaming big.
4. Career Direction - Knowing how to start.
Vision is not enough; it must be combined with action/venture. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” - Sun Tzu. It is one thing to know where you are going to, it is another thing to know how to get there. If you can see your destination but you don’t know the mode of transportation required for your journey, you will never get there.
5. Career Innovation - Knowing how to think.
Develop the ability to overcome barriers along the path of your journey and keep innovating to grow. “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity - not a threat” - Steve Jobs. You have started the journey, don’t expect it to be smooth but be ready to respond positively to barriers through innovation.
6. Career Responsibility - Knowing how to finish.
It takes dedication, a “whatever-it-takes” mindset, and determination to give your very best efforts. You have started the race, now you have to get to the finishing line. You determine where your career drive ends so develop a positive attitude, prioritize, dream big, take action, innovate, and take responsibility.
Always remember,
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going” - John C. Maxwell
We cannot achieve our wildest dreams by remaining who we are. Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you.
#GlobalBaba🙌