We are all looking for the secret to having a successful career. Truth be told, there isn’t one. There is no magic pill that will give you money and accomplishments in life. Instead, there are basic principles to follow, regardless of what you choose your job to be.
Health and Nutrition
The length of a professional football player’s career is largely based on how healthy and durable he is. While most players only last a few years in the NFL, there are exceptions like Drew Brees and Tom Brady, both starting quarterbacks in their forties.
But how can these guys continue playing a sport as brutal and physically-violent as football for decades at a time? Doesn’t attrition affect us all the same way?
Answers to these questions require a look at each person and his fitness and nutritional regimen. Tom Brady is dead asleep by 9 o’clock, and Drew Brees spends a large part of his time on recovery. They are both also mindful of what they eat.
For regular employees like you and me, it shouldn’t be any different. Even though we are not subject to head-on collisions, and we’re not required to jump very high or run super fast, we should still take care of our bodies and our minds. We shouldn’t skip breakfast, and we should take several breaks during the day to stretch our bodies, place our minds in a different environment, and relax.
Like water for children, we also need to stay hydrated with enough fluids containing vitamins and electrolytes. We should also snack at various instances during our working day to keep our bodies fueled and our minds sharp for the important decisions we need.
The Value of Patience
There are many cliches and idioms about patience. Examples include “patience is a virtue” and “all good things take some time.”
But patience is not just about waiting for things to happen to you. No matter how long you sit in front of a piano, you will never learn if you don’t start playing and keep practicing.
The true value of being patient is understanding that everything requires a process, some longer than others. You may start your new job today, but you have to wait until the end of the month to get your salary. Yet, if you don’t work, you won’t get it.
The same goes for exercise. You need to go jogging for a few months and do resistance training consistently before you can see results on the scale and in the mirror.
As such, patience is about two things. First, it entails consistency, the ability to gain expertise and improve through a meaningful routine. Second, it represents the appropriate management of expectations.
Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are skills that you can use in more than one job. If you are great at giving presentations, you will probably be able to do this no matter the environment or industry in which you are. The same is true for languages, communication skills, negotiation tactics, leadership, and product marketing.
As a result, focus on learning what you think will help you long-term, not only what will be of service to you at this present moment. Besides giving you valuable tools and extra options if you find yourself unemployed, transferable skills show your superiors you are not complacent. Rather, you are willing to continue learning and are determined to stand out among your peers.
Commitment and Hard Work
Hard work is a very subjective matter. For some people, it might mean long hours at the office. For others, it’s about the quality of work that you produce. Whatever it means to you, only you know if you are working hard enough. You can lie to your peers and boss, but unfortunately, you cannot lie to yourself.
Even if you spend 20 hours a day in front of a computer or have many meetings with coworkers, customers, department heads, and so on, only you can measure your level of effort.
Working hard is also about pushing your boundaries responsibly. If you work yourself to exhaustion and have to take indefinite breaks, your productivity will suffer, and you might lose your job.
Still, your real limits are usually not what you think they are, and there’s always at least 20 to 30 percent more you can give. Remember, others around you are doing the same.
Different careers need different abilities. If you want to be a good singer, you need natural talent and proper training. If your goal is to become an F1 champion, you must spend countless hours simulating and taking a detailed approach to fitness and dieting.
However, some qualities are necessary for all areas of work. They include being healthy, patient, having transferable skills, and working hard. If you do so, you’ll have more than a puncher’s chance to succeed.