So you want your career trajectory to progress at an incline? Do you want to lead those great assignments that will sustain your expected level of success? Great…I suggest you quit…
Quit trying to solve the problem or seize opportunities alone.
You are sharp; always on top of your game and so very effective. Guess what…you are even better with the support of a great team. The time spent creating and developing a strong support system pays valuable dividends. Surround yourself with people who execute with great skill, have the right personality and demonstrate strong character. Choose people who are diverse, creative and passionate about the possibilities and hungry to make it happen. This “team” could consist of direct reports, colleagues outside your organization, vendors and even your life partners. If they associate with you, consider them part of your team and welcome their abilities. Find a strong mentor to help resolve your weakness, or a friend to be empathetic. QUIT being a loner, choose wisely and expand your possibilities of achieving peak performance.
Quit being a hostage to your career; give it a rest.
You are awesome when it comes to developing, marketing, selling or supporting your products and services. You are always focused on getting better, faster, growing bigger, always focused on the business, always buried in the details, the minutia, never taking a break…must…get…better…Then one day you realize how stuck you really are. Being constantly “on” can force you to stop cold in your tracks; don’t let it. You need to step away to get closer. Take time to pick up a book and read it. Take a walk down the city street and actually notice what’s around you. Take a walk in the country and feel the colors and the way nature moves. If that’s too green for you, then visit your local museum or take in the ballet, the symphony. Take your mind away from the usual topics and try something different. Dare to close your eyes and discover what you are missing. QUIT being a slave to your business or your career. You’ll achieve goals faster by taking time to change your perspective and see things more clearly.
Quit thinking that your body is invincible and, it will support you forever
Does your body needs a break from your lifestyle? The answer is yes if you depend on caffeine, sugar, alcohol, prescriptions and a long list of chemical fillers that help sweeten the sugar free, bind the gluten-free and flavor the flavorless to keep you going. Even more torturous is the number of hours you spend sitting on your ass – the sedentary lifestyle is killing you whether you realize it or not. Find the time, move around, and get fit. Pay attention to your body and take stock of your health with a goal to improve it naturally. Feed it with real foods that nourish. Energize and lighten your mind with meditation. How much are you smoking, and drinking? How often are you sleeping less than 8 hours a night? Why? YOU should be your biggest fan and YOU should always be there to support YOU…pay attention to how you’re doing that…before you are forced to change. Do yourself a favor and pay attention to you. QUIT taking advantage of yourself and take better care so that you can continue being you..or, an even better you.
Quit multitasking and embrace the idea of a ‘digital brown out.’
Sooner or later you’ll realize you are so much better when you pay attention to what you’re doing…and are doing one thing at a time. Think quality not quantity. Shut off the device’s alerts, close the email window, turn off HULU and exit your instant messaging app. This is making you so nervous you can feel your fingers beginning to tremble. I agree, this is really hard to do. Don’t even get me started on “bull-pen” working environments that don’t have quiet space. Start off with a section of your day, and commit to a DIGITAL BROWN OUT…shut down anything that can cause a distraction and focus on the most important thing you need to be thinking about at that time. Here’s an idea for any user experience developer: build in a ‘digital brown out button’ that shuts off selected applications / utilities with one tap to make focus time easy. Look, you are really important, and everyone needs to talk to you, pick your brain, get your thoughts, but you need to focus and get the details right so you don’t lead all these people astray. QUIT multi-tasking and re calibrate your trajectory beyond its current target.
Quit thinking you know it all and learning is a waste of time
You have a degree, and or certifications, company training and all the necessary Lucite and printed certificates to prove it. Add that to your “experience” and that should support your reputation right? Think again. Change is constant, it is fast and it is not limited to technological advancements. Business development and process management, legislation, health and well-being, customer expectations of a better experience, family needs, environmental impacts and even progress. How are you keeping on top of it all? What if one day you’re no longer with that company and those skills aren’t as valuable? Do your best to keep apprised of the latest developments in your field and the areas of interest that may affect how you do what you do and the people around you. Become a member of an association; take a random course in a totally unrelated topic. Keep your thinking fresh and current with new ideas and revised training. QUIT thinking learning is a waste of time or you will get left behind.
There are so many things you can quit doing to consistently get better at whatever it is you love to do. Our progress is dependent on our flexibility and willingness to change….the alternative is definitely not as interesting, appealing or sustainable. Take stock, take action. Succeed.
robertpanacci.com 