Something I've found to be true – whether in finance, real estate, or even vacation planning – is that a goal can only be achieved if attacked with urgency and direction. Just as a home won't last without a solid foundation, professional development is usually a byproduct of step-by-step planning.
Related: 10 Career Tips for My 21-Year-Old Myself My own career taught me the importance of having the right attitude in the face of success or crisis. Work brilliantly, stay motivated, make a plan, and consider the most important pillars for growing your career and evaluating new opportunities.
In the Gallup State of the American Workplace study, 51% of employees say they actively seek a job. With new jobs comes new experiences, new challenges, and a new skill set, which are often hard to come by when you stick to your current gig.
Whether you're looking to move up the corporate ladder your current company or embarking on a completely new field, the following five tips are imperative to improving your career.
1. Make barriers work for you.
Barriers to entry can prevent outsiders from easily entering certain industries. Without them, yields drop and it becomes more difficult to differentiate yourself from the pack. For example, not everyone can or wants to become a heart surgeon; the 16 years of discipline required (and the brains required) prevent outsiders from entering the practice. In the real estate industry, however, there are low barriers and the possibility of high commissions, making it an extremely popular field.
But what sets real estate agents who earn millions of dollars apart from others is is an obstacle to the will. These high earners actively, decisively and brilliantly generate new business for at least two hours a day, every day of every week of every year. Whatever move you do, find the lengths you're willing to go that others won't. This is what will ultimately set you apart.
2. Empower through influence.
Leverage can be defined as the power used to achieve a desired goal and can be separated into a few types:systems leverage, people leverage, and leverage financial.
I used to buy and sell houses and turn them into rentals; I went from treating one to two outbreaks a year for 15 years, to treating over 300 in 12 months. This production spike can dramatically expand your world, but it can only happen when you use all three types of leverage to amplify your power and truly make an impact. Find out where your expertise lies in each of these areas to build a blueprint for your own growth.
3. Identify a role model.
If you want to kick your professional growth up a notch, look to the people doing what you do on a larger scale. What suits them best? What are they that you're not?
When I was looking for a great new client interface for my real estate syndication business, I turned to the internet to check out several high-end investment firm websites. I haven't ripped off any of their designs; instead, I saw what worked for these big companies and figured out if it would all work for me. One trick I've learned is to allow others to (sort of) invent the wheel for you. You can use someone else's experience or knowledge to further your own efforts.
4. Hire a coach.
Until a few years ago, I had never heard of hiring a professional or life coach, and even after I did, I never did. not really understood. But then I looked at it through the prism of sport:when two teams have equal talent but one has less or no coaching, it's easy to see what's going to happen. Better training always wins.
I think sometimes we see the idea of needing a mentor to guide us through our lives or our business as childish or pathetic. But if a sophomore football team is worth coaching, why shouldn't your life goals be?
5. Invest in your core skill area.
People often get bored and want to move right when they peak. In fact, 10,000 hours of work proves to be the single most important factor in achieving exceptional success, yet most of us lose interest and move on before reaching that benchmark.
Our core competence is where we produce the best results, a point where we have the greatest potential and the greatest creativity; this is also where we could easily be deceived. Think of core competencies the same way you do barriers:they're above and beyond what you're willing to push past others. Always look for ways to invest in them and uplift yourself.
Success does not come to you by delaying your goals and daydreaming about when they will all come true. The keys to building the life you want center on positivity, productivity, and motivation. By breaking down barriers, leveraging leverage, identifying role models, and focusing on your bread and butter, you can change the course of action to advance in your career or thrive in a whole new.
Related: The best career advice, from people who have made it to the top
