Our blog posts last month were very much focused on helping you take control of your mindset, so you can take control of your future. This month I’m going to work with you to use your newly strengthened mindset to build a career by design.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years I’ve been coaching is the number of women who are hesitant or not proactive in building their careers.
What do I mean by that? I mean they are hesitant to put their hands up for roles they want, or they allow their careers to happen by chance. Right place, right time.
If you want to build the career of your dreams, you need to change the game you’re playing. It’s time for a new strategy.
Three things you can do right now to change the game and take control of the results.
- Reflect: Successful sportspeople and their coaches know you can’t move forward until you know exactly where you are in the game. That’s why they spend so much time reviewing their game plan and performance before they prepare for the next match. It should be no different for any of us who have a goal in mind.
The process of self-assessment is a vital part of defining your way forward. It’s a process which builds skills you’re going to use all your life. It reinforces the mindset which tells you that you can improve, learn more and develop new skills. In other words, it reminds you that you can change; you’re not limited by your current situation or abilities. It also builds up your resilience because you learn to reflect on strategies and techniques you’ve used in the past, and choose how to apply them to your new challenges or directions.
Reflection prepares you for the future.
- Plan: If you haven’t worked out where you want to go, you won’t get there.
I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t emphasise enough the important of setting goals. If you haven’t done it, set aside some time to think about where you want to head. Write it down. Describe your perfect future. Brainstorm with yourself – don’t set limits. Just write it all down. Research has shown that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals simply by writing them down.
Once you have written them down, it’s time to work on your game plan. What do you need to do to get started on your new path? What skills do you need? What experience? What support? And, importantly, where will you get these things? Remember you’re designing a strategy and it probably won’t take you instantly to your goal. It’s a process – a journey. Be patient. You are planning the best way to position yourself to take a step closer to your goals.
- Take massive, committed action: Big goals need big actions if you want to reach them. You can’t be hesitant. You can’t wait for a ‘better time.’ If you want to build the career you really want, you need to commit to taking massive action every day. Yes, you’ll be afraid sometimes, and yes, you won’t always succeed. Becoming used to learning from your failures will be part of the journey so be prepared for it.
Taking action and being committed to it means growing every day, and while it won’t be easy, it will be worth it. When you own your goals and your strategies, they start to drive you. They are very compelling.
The ultimate reward after all the work is successfully achieving the career you’ve aimed for. Believe me; the feeling of success you feel as you reach each step along the way is a powerful motivator to keep you going. There’s nothing quite as exciting as winning a position you worked for, rather than one which happened to come your way.
Planning your career strategy isn’t easy but it IS exciting. If you need some help with your planning, contact us at Athena Coaching or take advantage of our online coaching program to Set Yourself up For Success. I promise it will get you headed in the right direction!
