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"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."- Francis of Assisi  After the long holidays, we are all now back to work. Some of us are having a great time, while others are not happy to wake up and go to work every day. With the amount of time we spend at work, I firmly believe that we need to enjoy work more. Thinking beyond your day to day job and more about finding fulfillment on your career journey will broaden your perspective.
Studies show that about 60% of women like to set career goals for themselves and 74% of women globally in junior or middle manager level positions expressed aspirations of reaching senior or executive leadership ranks within their organization. To get desired results in your career, you need to act. Career growth should be on your list of goals for 2019. Continuing our thoughts on what we can do for ourselves, let's prioritize growing our careers and taking action. In this blog post, we will explore ways you can ensure you get the results you want at work. Own your career development To continuously grow in your career, it is essential to have a career development plan. Think about what you want to achieve in your career in the short, mid and long term. It is a missed opportunity to take the approach of "let's see where my career takes me" or “ I’ll see what my company will do for me.” Take an active approach to discovering where you want to be and working towards it. Learn more practical ways to Own your career development from my previous blog post. Remember that you are responsible for building the great career you desire and that it is possible. Talk about your work A great way to show your value and contribution is to make your work visible. Many women I talk to struggle with talking about the great work they are doing and their unique contribution to their company. Practice sharing highlights of what you are working on at any opportunity you get at work. Share some lessons you learned and the great results you have produced. If you aspire to get more recognition for your work, start talking about your accomplishments today. Discover more ways to Celebrate your professional achievements. Find Mentors and Sponsors Identifying the people who can serve as advocates and support you with your career development is a great contributor to your career growth. You need a mentor who will give friendly advice, build relationships and help you improve. A sponsor, on the other hand, can support you to get to the next level and help you get ahead. In a previous blog post titled How to find professional Sponsors, I shared some practical tips that can assist you on your quest. An additional piece of advice that I would like to share; seek out mentors and sponsors way before you need them and invest time in building relationships. The more they know about you and your work, the better they can support you. Build your network Having a community of people who are working on developing their careers will help you propel your career. Sometimes networking sounds daunting because we think of growing a massive network of people rather than making connections with our peers and industry partners. Great ways to start building your professional network include attending events, conferences, talks, and trainings. Discover more practical tips from my blog post How to build a professional network. Seek out new opportunities To find fulfilling work, you may need to look outside your day to day responsibilities for new opportunities. An essential part of women's satisfaction at work comes from doing more meaningful work and having opportunities to make a difference. Seek out work that provides you some satisfaction and growth opportunities. Depending on where you work, this may be a gradual process, be patient and persistent. Explore more tips on How to take Initiative at work from my previous blog post. Call to Action Where do you want to go in your career? Write down 3 things you want to achieve at work over the next year and 3 more longer-term career goals. Take a step today. Final Thoughts
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"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" "What's worth doing even if you fail? - Brene Brown  A few years ago, a professor shared a valuable approach to facing my fears that I had never considered before. She advised me to think about strategies I can implement when I plan on doing things I am afraid of. Previously, I had never thought about actively addressing my fears through action.
To succeed and be fulfilled in life, you need to do many things you are afraid of. If your approach is to wait until you have no fear before you take a step, you will miss some great opportunities. Are you starting a new job or role, chasing your dreams, working towards achieving your goals, moving to a new town or country, making lifestyle changes or doing something new? This post is dedicated to you. In this blog post, we will explore seven strategies to overcome your fear through action. Why should you do things you are afraid of?
Strategies to overcome your fear and do things you are afraid of Acknowledge your fear Often, we wonder what holds us back and stops us from embracing new opportunities. The fear of failing is one of the biggest reasons why we don't achieve new and bigger goals. Think about all the opportunities you have missed because of fear. It is natural to be afraid, but it should not stop you from taking a step. Questions to consider
Prepare yourself for the journey ahead To get more comfortable with making a move, make time to do some research and think through what you need to want to do. The good thing about most of the things we plan to do, we are hardly the first people to do it. Take advantage of the opportunity to research what other people in a similar situation have done and talk to people around you for input. Questions to consider
Create a plan to achieve your goals Often when we approach the big tasks that we fear, we can't imagine how we can take action. Break down those big tasks into smaller tasks and plan them. Set milestones to help you measure your progress. Questions to consider
Equip yourself with the right tools Tools, tips, and techniques help us solve the challenges we face as we achieve our goals. After you have identified what you are going to do, research available tools that can simplify the tasks. Some examples of useful tools may be a calendar for planning or courses and trainings to learn new skills. Questions to consider
Take the first step It may sound too easy, but now that you have done some research, prepared yourself, it is time to act. Be careful not to wait for too long to make a move. The best way to overcome your fear of doing something new is to do it. Questions to consider
Continue learning and improving As you take a step into the unknown, it is crucial to be prepared to learn and improve continuously. Having a growth mindset will help you cross the hurdle of getting started and also get better results as you are interested in growing and learning through the process. Questions to consider
Celebrate your achievements Now that you have decided to do something you are afraid of, keep track of your accomplishments. Your achievement log will show you the tangible results of the move you made and serve as motivation when you start feeling discouraged. Questions to consider
Call for Action What is that thing you will do if you were not afraid? Challenge yourself to take action and apply the strategies above. Share with your community. Final Thoughts
Great Resources "Let no one discourage your ambitious attitude. You don't need a fan club to achieve your goals. Be your own motivation." - Mama Zara  Many times, when we talk about being motivated, we are relying on external sources to motivate us. Imagine all you could do if you made it a priority to motivate yourself. It will not only get you started faster, but self-motivation will also keep you on the ball longer.
In this post, we will explore ways to get motivated and continue being motivated as you achieve your goals. When you are self-motivated, you are: ambitious, self-directed, full of initiative, proactive, self-dependent, driven by oneself, a self-starter and a go-getter. What is self-motivation?
Benefits of being self-motivated
Self-motivation questions Let's evaluate your self- motivation with the help of some reflective questions. What excites or drives you? Being aware of the things that motivate you is crucial. With this knowledge, you unlock the ability to seek out those motivators and experiences. It will become like fuel for your motor to power through whatever situation you are in. What are you good at? Appreciating your unique strengths and identifying opportunities to apply your skills will motivate you. We focus so much on our weakness and what we are not good at, which demotivates us. Focus on your strengths and celebrate your achievements. How do you continuously check your motivation level? Being in touch with feelings and how motivated you are at all times is essential. You will feel more motivated at times more than other times, and that is perfectly normal. Have regular check-ins with yourself. What do you do when you don't feel motivated? Times will come when your motivation will drop. Think of ways to increase your motivation. Personally, I find that learning something new or sharing my knowledge helps motivate me. Fighting demotivation requires you taking action. What are you looking forward to? With all the seriousness and responsibilities we have, it is easy to forget to have a positive outlook on life and your future. There is a lot to be hopeful for. Positivity will increase your motivation throughout your journey. Call to Action How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated? Write your response down so you can read later on. Final Thoughts
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Happy new year to you! 2019 is finally here. Are you ready for greatness?  The start of a new year brings excitement and anticipation of the great things to come. However, it also comes with a lot of pressures and fear of the future. In preparation for your journey this year, it is important to be empowered and confident that you can make things happen for yourself.
In this blog post, we will explore a few ideas to add to your list for the year that will cost you very little and create high value. The guiding principle for most of these tips is that they help you build a strong foundation for the year, no matter what comes your way. #1: Believe in yourself Valuing your unique skills and abilities comes at no cost. It's free and can only be applied by one person - you. Think and speak good things about yourself and your future. #2: Be consistent and disciplined You will experience great success in everything you do if you apply these two simple principles. Being consistent and disciplined costs you nothing but brings great rewards. #3: Reflect on your experiences Think back on the past experiences and uncover those valuable lessons that will help you this year. There is a wealth of knowledge that you can derive from things that went well or not so well last year. #4: Share your story This tip is a new one for most of us who prefer hearing other people's stories but fail to see that our stories are unique and relevant. Last year, I learned the power of sharing my experiences with people around me. It helped me appreciate my journey even more. #5: Be positive Especially as we start a new year, it is crucial to have a positive outlook on the future. It is very easy to look at the months ahead and think of only challenges and issues we may encounter. Imagine the excitement you build when you are hopeful and positive about what lies ahead. #6: Motivate yourself You can do even greater things when you are self-motivated. Depending on people to motivate you will affect the progress you make. The ability to identify your goals, take action and stay motivated through the process will make a difference for you this year. #7: Build your growth mindset Be prepared to invest time and work on your personal and professional development. As a result, you will continue to grow and get better at everything you do. Believing that in life you have many learning opportunities and possibilities to grow will change your perspective on challenges you may face. #8: Surround yourself with good people There are many positive and negative consequences of the company we keep. In this new year, make it a point to surround yourself with people who inspire you to grow and be your best self. It may be time to reconnect with people who added positivity to your life. #9: Find and gather knowledge These days the vast amount of learning resources that are available to us are impressive. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend classes, subscribe to newsletters and take every opportunity to learn something new. Knowledge is a tool you always want to have in your toolkit. #10: Be kind to yourself It's the start of a new year, and you most likely have a long list of goals for 2019. While you work on achieving your goals, remember that some things may not happen as planned. Regardless of the outcomes, give yourself permission to make mistakes, learn and grow. Also, remember to make self-care a priority this year. Call to Action Think about things you can do for yourself and share two things you will do for yourself in 2019. Final Thoughts
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Welcome to 2019! After taking a two-week break over the holidays, I am looking forward to sharing more blog posts with you and expanding our community. Join me on this adventurous journey! |
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