Navigating the workforce can feel overwhelming.
Executive positions may seem out of reach, or perhaps you are unsure of what you truly want from this lifetime.
Fortunately, there is hope. Regardless of industry, success can often be narrowed down to a few powerful habits and beliefs.
Unlocking your career potential doesn’t have to feel like a labyrinth. These key points are a fool-proof way to help you advance your career no matter which direction you take.
1. Make decisions based on the opportunity to learn.
Every decision should be analyzed from the lens of opportunity. It may be tempting to take action when money is the dangling carrot, but upward mobility is more valuable. In other words, taking a pay cut could be a better long-term strategy. When I was growing my career, I accepted larger positions (with more responsibility) for less pay because I based my decisions on growth. Hidden behind those short-term losses were immense learning opportunities – which later exponentially grew my income.
Before I took over United Nissan, I was working as the General Manager for a different dealership. I knew making the switch over would mean a considerable pay cut, plus a high degree of uncertainty since the dealership was failing. A key thing I examined was, “How much do I want to make today versus how much do I want to make in a few years?” Accepting the role at United Nissan and becoming a partial owner was aligned with my long-term goals, even though it meant earning less for the time being.
Compare it to investing. A daily chart might show a 20 percent decline, but if you zoom out to a yearly view, a stock could be up 200 percent. Your life follows a similar pattern, career and otherwise.
2. Consistency outperforms talent and skill.
The best predictors of success aren’t charm, IQ, or networking abilities – it’s consistency. The good news is that this is entirely in your control. You might not be a prodigy or a prolific genius of some sort, but you can choose how much work you put into something. In most cases, consistency outweighs talent or skill – and it’s rarer.
Whatever you choose to do, stick to your guns and see it all the way through. For younger generations, you can use the current zeitgeist to your advantage. It’s an unfortunate reality, but curated life online has bred a generation plagued by perfectionism. As a result, many feel stunned by needing to be automatically good at something their first try to pursue it fully. But in practice, rarely will someone ever be decent at something their first go, let alone be good at it.
Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers” theorized that to master one skill, you must put in 10,000 hours of practice. If you use the standard 40-hour workweek, that means it’d take about 5 years to become an expert in one skill. Unsurprisingly, this theory bears true to my own experience. From starting as a salesman to becoming the head of a dealership, it took me a little over 5 years. If you want to be the best at it, start clocking in the hours.
3. Water your own garden first.
You are your responsibility. Above all else, you need to be the driver of your own ship. I believe one of the most pivotal moments in my career was my transition from salesman to manager. At my first dealership position, I was consistently the top-ranked salesperson and was ready to advance my career. I voiced these intentions to my manager and asked to be considered for a sales manager position, which I knew he was hiring for. Not wanting to lose his top seller, he told me I wasn’t ready. I knew deep down this was the turning point in our relationship.
Unbeknownst to my manager, I was already receiving offers from competing dealerships for the position I wanted. But, I respect loyalty and enjoyed working with him, so I decided to speak up again. This time, I informed him that if growth weren’t possible in my current environment, I’d find one where it was.
He ended up promoting me, though the relationship was already tainted. The experience opened my eyes to what the future in that role looked like, and there was a sense of animosity from him for forcing it. Eventually, I moved on from that role and found an environment conducive to my goals. My point is: go where growth is abundant. You wouldn’t go to the desert seeking oceans. Similarly, don’t stay in jobs where promotions are discouraged.
4. Put one foot in front of the other.
You don’t start your first run with a marathon. In the same vein, small action-able goals will help you grow your career faster than large, lofty ones. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t plan years down the line because you absolutely should. (I talk more about The Importance of Planning Your Life here) But rather, large goals aren’t achievable unless broken down into bite-size pieces.
You can spend your whole life wrapped up in worrying about the finish line that you don’t ever start. Think about how many people push their “new perfect healthy lifestyle” until after the holidays, or the next Monday. If you want to be successful, you always have to be moving forward, one foot in front of the other. All those small steps add up.
Everyone’s “finish line” will also be different – and fluid. Some people define success through money, others legacy. Some want to make a mark on their community; others want to live a lavish life of solitude. Your finish line won’t be the same as mine, and it also might not be the same one you planned ten years ago. When I was a salesman, I didn’t know what it would feel like to be in the position I am in today. Now, I’ve drafted new plans that I would have never imagined when I was 30. Regardless, decide what you want. Make it actionable. And move!
5. Build confidence.
Fear is what limits us from taking action, and the antidote to fear is confidence. To grow your career, you need to believe you can do it. Not in a “fake it til you make it” way, either. There’s only so much that can be faked – Theranos, anyone? Without a foundation of grounded self-assurance, everything you try to build on top of it will tumble down in a matter of time. True confidence is developed when you are certain you can come out the other end of tough times. And with that confidence comes inspiration to take risks, even if they seem like a long shot.
The thing about risk toleration is that the odds are in your favor. Everyone wants success, but few are willing to take leaps toward it. If you position yourself in a way you’re not afraid of either result, you’ll be rewarded greatly.
Wandering into the unknown can be scary, but when you approach it with a divine nonchalance – the type of attitude that comes from building a strong foundation in self – the unknown becomes just another road.
