Napoleon Hill once said, ‘What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it CAN achieve!’ How many of us have read this saying, know it to be true, and have still not done anything to make it happen? There is an immense difference between KNOWING the path and WALKING it!
Knowing what you want out of your career ultimately depends on what you want in life, and that begins with knowing yourself. An honest appraisal of your dreams and aspirations is the key to figuring out your ultimate goals. An employee must always take the time to look at where he is presently, and compare it to where he wants to be ten years from today. Not doing so makes you run the risk of overlooking opportunities, and makes you lose control of your own destiny.
Are you on the right career path? Developing a career path is not as formidable a task as it may seem. If you love to crunch numbers, then a career in accounting may be your dream job. Maybe you have an eye for the right phrase, or the perfect caption- your passion may be in the written word! Think life-long interests, and you will be far happier in your career than if you try to fit yourself into the job that your parents or friends picked for you.
If you are looking at a career change, then it’s time to review everything you have accomplished in your job so far. Focus on the incidents that made you learn new skills, and reflect on all the performance appraisals and feedback you have received from your seniors. Think back on experiences that made you feel fulfilled. Quite likely, that’s the direction your career path needs to be taking.
You could look back on the criticism that you have received on previous work, and evaluate conditions that that stressed you in the past, as directions you do not wish to tread in future. These are situations that if repeated could limit your success.
Here are some questions you can ask of yourself along the waDo I enjoy responsibility- am I a leader or a follower?
- Do I enjoy responsibility- am I a leader or a follower?
- What results make me happy?
- What environment am I comfortable being in?
- What is the work/life balance I am looking at?
- Who is the person I most want to emulate?
Having said all this, do remember that your career path is not a one-way road without any diversions. When you feel you need to take a break to explore a parallel opportunity, do so!- and come back to your main goal when you feel the time is right! Periodically look at your career map and check if you still feel it’s the best route for your life. Reset your priorities every once in a while.
Be clear about where you want to go…and chances are you will end there!
