If you’re not growing you’re dying
Tony Robbins, one of my biggest entrepreneurial and life gurus said that of you are not growing, you’re dying in one of his well-known talks about raising your standards and I couldn’t agree more.
Personally, I’m always trying to push myself to conquer the next challenge, to move up a level, to learn more, to do more and having fallen into recruitment straight out of Uni after doing my Bachelors in Law and having no real idea about life, I’ve unknowingly lived by this mantra. Having lived and worked in the UK, the US and the Caribbean I’ve continually set what have seemed like ridiculous goals but have made them a reality. Here’s my favourite golden nuggets from Tony to help you with career advancement:
1. Raise your standards – we all get what we tolerate. We all have our list of “should’s” but you need to make these “must’s.” Stop procrastinating. Don’t say you know you should make more calls, you must make more calls. You have to set your own standards.
2. Progress = happiness. If you are not progressing in your career, you won’t be happy. You’re either striving or thriving so if you want that promotion ask for the job description, learn what the requirements are, demonstrate you have the capabilities.
3. Stop focusing on the past. Your past does not make you who you are. Change your focus. Focus on what you can control. Find a breakthrough, focus on what you are grateful for. Celebrate the small wins in your day. Forget the bad call, forget the mistake in the meeting. Move on.
4. Set goals – What do you want? People spend so much of their time complaining when they don’t even know what they want. Think about it. Write it down. Say it out loud. Tell people. You might feel silly saying it out loud, people might judge you. No, you might be presently surprised at how much people tend to try and help you accomplish your goals once they know what you are working towards. Make it specific.
5. “If you want to take over the island, burn the boat” – Most people don’t advance or succeed because they give themselves a way out. Erase your plan B. Focus on plan A. Develop morning rituals that will help you to progress and get you closer to your goal.
6. Find a mentor – find someone who is as successful as you want to be and imitate them, see what they do, ask how they did it.
7. Take accountability for your professional development – identify training courses you are interested in and share these with your managers. Knowledge is power. Tell them how your new acquired skills will benefit the business.
Ultimately, keep growing, developing and advancing for a much happier, fulfilling life!
Chelsea Flynn, Recruitment Manager www.steppingstonesrecruitment.com