Habits Create Your Career
Chances are good you’ve probably encountered this idea, “To change your circumstances you have to change your habits.” Have you thought about how habits create your career?
I’m fortunate to work with a lot of different people who are all in some way connected with a workplace, a job, or shaping their career. Much of my work is focused on helping to shape business outcomes as compared with individual performance, but I do some of both.
Individual Efforts and Outcomes
Considering individual efforts, I often see frustration from people who are truly trying to make a difference. They aren’t looking for Easy Street and they don’t want a free ride. Yet they often feel stuck.
As a society I believe we are becoming more programmed to hurry up, then wait, and then hurry up, and then wait some more. Things happen fast, the pace is brisk. We feel like waiting for anything, is a waste of time.
The reality is that when it comes to your job, a business venture, or your career, it is still one step at a time. There really aren’t any fast tracks, quick fixes, or short cuts.
Ask yourself, “What did I accomplish yesterday?”
What about last week or last month? Where were you six months ago? And if you’ve been in the workforce for a while, how were you positioned five years ago or even ten?
I’m not asking you to relive everything that went wrong. I’m asking you to consider what things looked like then. Maybe they seemed better or maybe they seemed a little worse.
What is most important is where you are going!
Chances are you’re reading this because you care about your career. You’ve worked hard but there is still more to accomplish. Your career doesn’t just happen overnight, it is based on actions and behaviors repeated over time. The results develop from what you invest in.
Create Your Career
If you invest in reading a book, watching a video, or in some way connecting with new (quality) information and learning about something connected with your career each day you’ll become better. It should be each day, progressively, across time.
Think about what you do and what you talk about. What do you read, write, or send via text. What do your social media interests look like? How are you spending your time?
When you think about what you want for your future it might be helpful to consider the evidence from your past. Who you were a few years ago might not be who you are today. The difference is created by how you’ve spent your time.
Chances are you’re becoming someone. You’re creating something.
Habits create your career.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
