The Present and Future
This blog has made me think a lot about my career -- even more than normal, Iād say. We always hear that every day is an opportunity to network, make a good impression, or take a step in the direction of your dreams. These are the things we hear, but many of us (men and women alike) often struggle to envision where exactly we are going.
Sometimes this can be a little stressful. Everyone wants to be successful in their career, but how can we aim to move āupā if we canāt see a path to the top? How can we have goals if we arenāt sure what exactly weāre aiming for? Iām sure Iām not the only one with these questions, and Iāve spent the last few weeks taking a good hard look at my professional goals.
Hereās what Iāve decided:
1. Good things happen to those who work hard.
Itās always important to focus on professional growth, but itās hard to find time to worry when youāre busy working hard to be the best you can and do the best you can. The people we look up to and the people in the positions that we aspire to are often hard workers and got there through work ethic and dedication. When youāre struggling with your career path, focus on that. Hard work is one of those skills that leads by example and speaks louder than words. Itās always one of those traits that can take you places you never thought possible.
2. Ā Ā Everything happens for a reason.
When I graduated from college, I never pictured myself working at the University of Michigan. I began my career at a small, private, Division II Catholic school in Florida and I had no idea where my path was going to take me. My job was time-consuming and difficult; I was overworked and underpaid, but itās where I got my start and Iām so thankful for that. Every step Iāve made since my career began has led me to where I am today, and in many cases, my path was decided by people other than myself: people who recommended me or vouched for me. Those generous efforts were things I never planned for, yet theyāve helped make my path and brought me to where I am today.
3. Ā Every opportunity is a growth opportunity.
I once had a terrible boss (no one I work with now!), and working for that person made me question my career choice and, in turn, my life. That boss taught me literally nothing about my job duties, but instead I learned a lot about leadership and the type of leader that I aspired to be. My time spent working for that person was miserable, but I decided to make it the best I possibly could by using it as a growth opportunity. Rather than wasting my time thinking and/or complaining about how terrible my boss was, I did my job. That manager taught me so much about how NOT to lead people, that I truly learned a lot about myself while working for that person. Not every situation is perfect or ideal, but we can always stand to learn something.
Itās important to focus on the future, but sometimes itās even more important to focus on the present. If you have a job, you have a job to do, and doing that job is going to get you where you want to go --- wherever that is.
Talk soon, KGH















