One of the most high pressure situations we can find ourselves in is in our careers. We all have dreams of growing and finding success – however that is personally defined. And, in many cases, that means moving up the ladder or putting yourself out there to take a risk. From figuring out how to approach that pending and possible promotion to getting outside your comfort zone by learning new skills, here’s a way to break that bad habit of coasting in your comfort zone by learning to take a few chances at work.
Set some goals for yourself. Big ones. Each year when you assess your own resolutions, how about taking a moment to set some serious career goals. They don’t have to be super specific and they can even be pretty loft dreams, but if you don’t put it out there for yourself how will you ever even begin to achieve them? Let’s say you want to be the head of your department, but that would require a pretty big promotion. Maybe your goal could be talking to your boss about what you need to do to get there. Sounds scary and intimidating? That’s OK – it’s a goal! A little pressure can actually go a long way in helping you get there.
Network. This may seem so basic and like something you do anyway, but how about assessing your current tactics. Do you really network in the true sense? Do you actually put yourself out there to get to know people who are outside of your immediate circle or even outside of level on the organizational chart? Building relationships is the first step to making your next move – you’ll be top of mind when an opportunity arises and in many cases, you may have to educate people to let them know what your role actually is. So, go for it. Put yourself out there and make it your mission to get to know someone new every month.
Learn new skills. This one is pretty challenging sometimes. Not because we don’t all have a desire to learn, but purely because of time. We get caught in our day-to-day, working to accomplish all that needs to happen for everything to function like a well-oiled machine. But, what if that machine could function even better, with more efficiency if you learned a few new skills or how to use and operate a new tool? Keeping a running list of things to learn, with set goals for timing and completion, is one of the best ways to move that needle on your personal career advancement. And, bonus – you’re learning cool new things along the way.
Follow your passion. We all have to work. It’s the name of the game when it comes to providing for your family and leading a comfortable life. But, does that mean you always have to be stuck in a job you find dull and boring? Absolutely not! Sometimes it takes a real leap of faith – or even a combination of all of the above: goals, networking and new skills – but when you put it all together, you can often turn your passion into your lifelong career. So how about it? Can you make a move from mundane to challenging and passionate?
Learning to take chances at work can be tough, but you know what? You are the only one who can make it happen – and it’s always rewarding – even if you don’t see immediate results. What do you think? Can you push yourself just a bit outside of your career comfort zone this year?
