Hi Everyone,
There was definitely a pause in delivery since my last newsletter, but I was actually unable to write anything because of a health issue. No matter; I'm here and eager to get started on my bit. In the previous newsletter, The Values of Having a High-growth career, I discussed the advantages of pursuing a high-growth career for those who want to increase their income and net worth by investing in their human capital. I discussed what it takes to have a high-growth career and how to spot them. At the conclusion of the newsletter, we posed the question of how to go about creating such a thing or continuing to revolutionize our working lives. Honestly, it's not that hard to do, and I've included some helpful hints below:
Vision: Having a clear goal in mind is the first step toward creating a successful and rewarding career path. Sincerity requires me to admit that some people lack vision. It's true that some people need less time in the real world to form their visions than others, but there are also those whose imaginations are so strong that they know exactly what they want to do with their lives and who they want to become long before they ever leave their bedrooms. If you find that you have trouble envisioning the future, maybe it's time to work on developing your creative and imaginative skills. To do this, consult a trained coach who can administer psychometric tests and design a program tailored to your unique character, or arm yourself with a library of books and online materials dedicated to helping you release your inner artist. A vision need not be particularly grand either; it could simply be to advance to a particular point in your career by a certain date. It's a synonym for working in an area of interest. We can change our perspective whenever we feel it's necessary. A career goal should be an expression of who we are; if that expression changes, we shouldn't lose faith in our ability to find new ways to express ourselves. A vision is not necessarily a final goal but rather the process by which we hope to grow as individuals. If we only use it as a bus stop, we might get lost if no buses show up. Aiming for something is great, but it's even more crucial to build meaningful foundations to support that goal. How will you enrich your experience and find more meaning once you realize the vision? Vision exercise: Put your head in a relaxed position and shut your eyes. Imagine yourself as you would like to be on a typical day at work, and don't be shy about getting specific. Can you describe this person's attire? What shall we call this individual? What precisely will this individual be responsible for? How does your future workplace look? (a lovely office in which to work from home, perhaps?) How far in school do you imagine yourself to have gotten? Which organizations will you be a part of in your professional and personal life? Regular practice will lead to noticeable changes in your behavior, outlook, and choices.
Exploration: Not everyone is willing to take chances, but if you want a successful and fulfilling career, you need to be willing to. There is a wide range in how much and in what ways individuals are willing to take risks. Creativity and adventure can inspire greater risk-taking. A vision provides a target and a focal point; from there, you can move forward in search of avenues that will lead you to actualize that vision. To explore one's options, one must be aware of when it is time to make a career change or to learn a new set of skills. To explore is to refuse to allow one's thoughts to remain unmoved or unaltered. This doesn't mean you won't ever feel hemmed in, but rather that the moment you realize it, you'll be compelled to take action because you have a purpose and a dream to pursue. Other aspects of exploration include change (in either location or profession), challenges, and seizing novel opportunities. Seeking is an integral part of exploration; only by looking around can one hope to discover a way forward. Mentoring relationships, coaching relationships, books, courses, the internet, and introspection are all viable avenues. Exploration exercise: Make a list of the resources you can use to get answers to your top three career-related questions. Include in your resources any people you wish to interview as well as any other types of research you will need to conduct. Continue by thinking about how you can readily identify stagnation in your own life. It's important to keep in mind that I'm not equating stagnation with discomfort. To be sure, we all require some degree of unease as a marker of development in various facets of our lives.
I'll end this letter here but promise a second on "community" and "self-awareness." This seems like it could be a weighty subject, so perhaps it would be best to break it up into more manageable chunks so that we have time to think it over and put it into practice. Until we meet again! Please feel free to join our career coaching WhatsApp group for access to useful resources and advice.
xoxo.
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