As I’m all about careers – which includes working for yourself or others – I often find that a majority of workers do not pay much attention to their career until something happens. The threat of a job loss or having too much stress are typical situations that elicit attention; but what about the positives of being on top of your career, such as a new job opportunity, a promotion, or taking the leap and going out on your own.
These are great reasons why investing in yourself is the biggest payoff you could make. You are the key and most important person in a job, mainly because no one else can do the work you do. You got hired because of your skills, aptitudes, passions and experiences for a specific role and job tasks so nurturing them will keep you and get you ahead. The door is open for you to walk through to having a great career and a great life.
When I talk about investing in yourself, which does include your personal development (i.e. overcoming the fears and doubts that often arise; being a better communicator, decision-maker, negotiator; being happy, etc.) it’s about taking the time and making the commitment to focus on enhancing the skills you already possess while working towards your goals to achieve them. Most people cruise along – do you want to be one of the ‘most people’?
Here are some suggestions to begin investing in your self and your career:
- take advantage of classes or training your company offers for free
- look at outside classes you can take, such as through your community colleges, adult development programs, or look on the web as you can find a host of free or low-cost programs
- read – there are many books on business, careers, communication, conflict, and personal development; there are magazines to increase your knowledge and skill base, such as Success Magazine, Entrepreneur, and Inc. Magazine.
- attend professional association meetings in your field as these are a great way to meet colleagues, learn top trends, find or be mentor, or serve in some capacity on a committee or leader role
- go to networking meetings, such as through your local Chamber of Commerce or through a Meet-up group. These are great ways to learn on a variety of topics as they always have speakers (you can always be one as well) and network with locals in the business community
- volunteer for a local organization in need; philanthropy and giving back raises self-esteem and confidence levels while meeting new people and working for a good cause
- serve on a Board, which can give you different perspectives on how businesses are run, which increase your skills and knowledge-base as well as getting connected to high-level business leaders
I’ve given you 7 ways to invest in yourself and your personal/professional development so I hope you take advantage and begin today to commit to yourself. I think you career and your life depend on it. You deserve to live your best life – it all starts with one decision, one commitment, and one step forward. Will you make that today?
If you’d like help in making the decision and taking the step forward, contact us today for our Complimentary Discovery Session to get started now: http://www.cyscoaching.com
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