In the last 10 years, I have been able to
⭐️ thrive in 6 new roles
⭐️ grow with 5 different employers
⭐️ experience work culture in 3 countries
Looking back, here are the 3 critical mindset changes I did in order to thrive in these transitions...
💥𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 1: 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 & 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙮.
Uncertainty is an essential component of career growth. There always is an inherent risk of failure with trying something new. One can choose to be in a comfort zone and stagnate, or take on new challenges. Let your career flow & build skills in multiple areas.
Example: Starting out as a developer, I have done roles for BI, tech consulting, product management and also a failed stint as an entrepreneur before I got into marketing. There were high chances of failure with each transition. However, the moment I accepted the risks/failures, the transitions became at least 80% easier.
💥𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 2: 𝙇𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 “𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧” 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙜𝙮𝙢!
It helps to view your career as "cards/hexagons" of different core skills to master, than as a cumbersome ladder that you have to keep climbing. We have been taught to strive for predictability of a linear career progression. But career growth often happens horizontally and in unexpected spurts.
Example: Instead of fighting through the hierarchy in Software Engineering to become a Software Project Leader, I charted my own path into mid senior management. During my masters - I learnt project management, and exposed myself to Agile SDLC. Focussed on opportunities and challenges that made me a good communicator and people coordinator. Eventually wiggled my way into product ownership at a SaaS company. Exactly 3 years after leaving my Software Engineering job, I was able to have ownership of my own projects.
💥𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 3: 𝙂𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨.
Most ambitious people tend to get into races in their career - to get more money/power/bigger titles. And compete against coworkers, or against friends from university, or even against people they despise. Instead it's better to stop running, and focus on more wholesome metrics such as health, wealth and happiness in the context of your employment.
Example: In the last 4-5 years of my career, I have asked simple questions to myself in the mirror:
- Am I feeling good about the work I completed today?
- Am I adding value?
- What am I learning?
- Am I building wealth?
- Am I being appreciated?
- How is my health and especially my mental health?
Just thinking about these questions has helped me quit the rat-race and focus on the new exciting but unknown challenges of my career!
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