The end of one season and beginning of another brings a lot of mixed feelings regardless of how prepared you think you are.
Change brings about fear, uncertainty and even sometimes excitement among other things.
You see growth does not come from getting older, having more experience, or changing environments. We can stay the same or regress over the years. Growth and positive change come from recognizing our past, learning the lessons, and making adjustments on our path into the future.
As we transition from 2020 into 2021, take some time to go through these 21 growth steps. They’ll help you set realistic goals and give you a push when it comes to achievement of the same goals.
- Planning – A well thought out plan will you give you direction and structure. Lay out a plan, give it deadlines and stick to it. Remember good intentions will always give you good focus.
- Persistence – Rise to the challenges you set yourself by facing each hurdle as it comes. Regardless of the way things are going, keep going and gain confidence from overcoming.
- Patience – Not everything happens in a snap of your fingers. Take your time and trust the process if indeed you are putting in hard work.
- Hard Work – Hard work is gold. The more you put in, the better chances you have of career doors opening up for you.
- Be critical – Do not be afraid of constructive criticism if it comes. It can even be from yourself. Learn to listen and respond positively as half the time, the advice given may lead to you performing better.
- Passion – Passion steers inspiration. Love what it is that you do. It becomes so much easier for things to align when you are keen on researching on possibilities while making an action plan for them.
- Read, Read, Read! – Do your research. It is easier fine tuning your aspirations and targets when you are tuned up. Be informed as you can.
- Reward and celebrate yourself – All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Try and find free time to unwind when you can. You do not want to tire yourself up to the point of no recharge.
- Steady your ship – Being able to have a healthy balance in life is essential. This helps you maintain a healthy mindset as well.
- Set the Pace – The first steps are usually crucial. Once the ball is rolling, the rest can pick up. Constantly fuel your energy by setting short checklists to take you to the next step.
- Be purposeful – Let all that you do have a purpose. That way, you are sure you are being steered to achievement of your goal/ goals.
- Specific – Often people’s ideas of what they want to achieve are too vague. Not knowing what you wish to precisely means you may get something completely different. That’s why your goals should be super-specific.
- Keep company that shares your vision – In your personal life or at your company choose your teammates wisely. Surrounding yourself with other great people, allow you to learn more about themselves and keep going on the right path.
- Read about successful people – Analyzing the great men and women in history should be a habit. You will come to find out you’re not so different from them especially in the hurdles you will come across. So take the biography of someone you admire and dive into their life. Learn from their mistakes, find inspiration and wisdom in their words.
- Track your progress – To be aware of what is working and what is not, you need to track your progress. Analyze your results and make adjustments where necessary.
- Time management – Work/Life balance (focused, committed time on your career as well as your personal life and family) is key to success for your career and your personal life. Plan it out and have clear boundaries on either.
- Self – assess – Be honest with yourself by analyzing yourself. This will help you set realistic goals and know when and how to gauge yourself.
- Develop one, two or more skill sets – When on your journey, you will realize some of your goals will require you to attain a new skill set. Prior identify what these skills are and the best source to attain them from.
- Have Timelines – Without a deadline or timeline, achieving of your goals will not be as purposeful. Timelines give you discipline and pushes you to get to the finish line.
- Have a checklist – There is a need to create small goals to attain the ultimate goal. Identify them and list them down checking them off as you go. Be as consistent as you can.
- Have alternative plans – Nobody wants to hear that their plan might not be the best and may need adjustment. Re-routing and changing strategy is never off the table. Have a plan A, B, C and even D to get to where you want to go.
One of the biggest career obstacles is understanding and practicing the key success factors that will help you maximize your career goals.
Make a difference in your company and industry as well as become a motivating workforce in your workplace.
Enjoying your job and making an impact at the same time requires a drive and commitment that takes intense focus. As you propel yourself, examine the online profiles of a number of successful executives as this often reveals what it takes to get to the top of the success ladder.
Remember, no matter who you are or whom you know, your career will have its ups and downs. Make a plan using the twenty one steps to achieve your career growth.
