Q: Why do I sometimes forget how far I've come in my career?
A: You're too busy with the day-to-day activities to notice the "new" you.
As an executive coach, I love to take a break every once in awhile to remind clients of how far they've come in whatever career they are in. In almost every case they didn't realize all the new things they now know and have done. And in almost every case they smile when we've completed the list of their great accomplishments.
I saw an ad for a seminar recently that said,"Come as you are. Leave as you want to be." Isn't that a beautiful thought? Doesn't that feel freeing? Not only do my executive coaching clients come to me that way, but many of us have started a job in our career that way. The employer hired us as we were...
...but then we have a chance to prove how much we can do for that organization. We work hard and smart so that some day if we go elsewhere, we leave as we want to be. We have reached a higher level of performance.
That new level not only helps the organization we are employed by now, but any for whom we will work in the future. There nothing wrong with staying with your present organization. We can make a decision to stay where we work now, but having that feeling that we are "as we want to be" shows us that we could do something else in our life should we choose to.
Sometimes we grow tired of our present organization or even our occupation. If so, we need to think about what we've learned that could be applicable to a new field. Either way, we will be pleased with who we've become.
Just to make sure that YOU are growing in your skills and abilities, you might want to consider these action steps:
ACTION STEPS FOR THIS WEEK:
1. Make a list of all you knew when you first came to your job.
2. Now make a list of all you know now.
3. List the future things you could do for your present organization.
4. Consider a different job position within your organization and go for it.
5. Know when it's time to move on so that you can benefit a new organization
