Career Coaching Cards: Explained
This is a new series of blog posts, that explain our Career Coaching cards in more depth.
Our deck of cards contain 52 questions that help guide better career conversations and connect more with the individuals you’re having these conversations with. Each week we are releasing a question from our deck with a little more information about why we think this question is a good question and what you are looking to get out of it when you ask it.
Question: What does success mean for me? And how will I know that I have achieved it?
Striving for success starts with understanding what makes you tick
Suit: Led by Me
The definition of success has changed. In fact, there is no single definition of success. Whilst decades ago, professional success meant getting a promotion and moving upwards, today’s workforce is looking for a much more varied experience. Success could be anything, from wanting to be a CEO to finishing a small gardening project. So how do you even know you’re on the right track? Well that’s what we’re trying to say. There’s not really a track. You have to blaze the trail as you go.
Now we’re not saying you should just ‘wing it’. Having a goal to strive for is great. But the danger with setting one big life goal is that you could spend the next few years striving to reach it and constantly feeling unsuccessful. Wanting to be the CEO of your company is all well and good, but will you be considering yourself a failure if you don’t reach that point?
At Let’s Talk Talent, we advocate breaking things down into smaller, more manageable chunks. Ask yourself, what does success look like in six months? And in a year? Set smaller milestones, and celebrate when you do reach them.
It’s also important to remain agile. Did a new opportunity present itself and change your vision for the future? Would a sideways step be an interesting avenue to explore? Careers, just like lives, are not linear. They’re kind of… Squiggly. So not heading in the right direction could simply be a new opportunity presenting itself. Make sure you schedule a yearly check-in to find out what you’ve learnt in the last year, what actions you need to take to reach your objectives and whether your end goal has changed.
Success is all about finding out what makes you happy, from more time with the family, to buying a house or growing the perfect orchid. A new job could be a great professional move, but take away from your time with your children and therefore not fit within your definition of success. So just go ahead and create your own. One that is based on yourself, your values and your drivers.
Stay tuned for our upcoming blogs explaining more of our Career Coaching cards.
And if you’d like some help figuring out a roadmap for the next stage of your career our Coach on Demand service will help you get there.
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