At times, we’ve all felt a bit lost — and finding our way back to the right path is imperative. This process can prove both confusing and painful. Often, we believe that the root problem lies externally; the wrong boss, team or organization. But, are we overlooking the obvious? In fact, looking inward might just be the best place to begin. Truth be told, we put enough obstacles in our own career paths to last more than a lifetime.
What if you could find that vital guidance, that mantra of direction, to actually get out of your own way once and for all? Well, developing a life strategy may be the needed prescription. It’s not fluff — it’s just plain smart. Unlike organizations, we assume we can traverse through our careers (and our lives for that matter) without taking a single moment of pause to formulate a plan.
A great read to find that path is Allison Rimm’s, The Joy of Strategy. Her concept of the “Joy Meter” is a stunner, and that alone is worth the read. Apply the meter to your work life — and you will never view work or career in quite the same way.
A few things The Joy of Strategy would also like us to consider:
Listening more: Not to everyone else — to yourself. Stop shopping for the advice that would allow you to support what you already know you need from your work life. Trust that inner voice. What have you left behind? As Rimm describes so aptly, “Don’t die with your song still inside of you.”
Taking another look at purpose: We can easily confuse being busy with purpose — and defining a “clear intention” can help to filter out the “noise” surrounding our most important career decisions.
Visualize, visualize, visualize: Where do you really want to be? What would you be doing? What do you really want to accomplish? One solid strategy for change is to thoroughly consider the “future state”. Go there — dream a little — it will help you master your future.
Defining what you really need: Be brutally honest. If you could move forward to build your best career life, what materials would you collect to ensure your success? A trusted mentor? More opportunities to lead a team? Sharper communication skills? Take the time to define these.
Time and Emotion: We spend our time — but what do those moments really offer us? As Rimm explains, “We should all derive some measure of joy from our work.” That indeed, is a winning strategy.
