Career Clarity: How corporate employees can take ownership of their purpose and strengths.
Hello friend! đ
Corporates get a bad rep.
But I think that's a glass-half-empty story.
I'm closing in on 1.5 decades of corporate leadership. Throughout my career, I continue to see leaders who are inspired to lead and others who get in their own way. So, I thought of sharing a bit of insight to help those wanting to succeed.
Below are three ways leaders can start thriving and create their ideal career.
Letâs go!
Corporates offer a stage in which you can bring your best
I am always puzzled by this idea:
How can someone hate their job, while at the same time someone else is dying to get it?
What I've come to learn is that it is rarely about the job, and mostly about the person (and culture). Everyone has a choice to make when challenged; either resist and complain, or welcome it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
People in corporations are specifically lucky because they are constantly offered challenges across different fronts, and on varying scales.
For example: there may be a challenge in meeting seemingly unrealistic deadlines (opportunity for productivity), a challenge in growing in a stagnant market (opportunity for innovation), or a challenge in managing a conflict (opportunity for personal development).
It requires a mindset shift to stop getting in your way of growth.
Take a moment to refelct:
What current work challenges are you facing at work? Can you shift your mindset towards opportunity this can bring. Write down two ways you can transform this challenge into a chance to grow.
Breakdown the P-word into true actions
If âcorporatesâ get a bad rep, âpurposeâ gets the worst.
And I cannot blame people for thinking so. The world is filled with jargon about an imaginary state of mind, very often accompanied by empty and non-actionable advice, if any!
However, living with purpose is simple, attainable, and outright necessary.
It is a dynamic process that is lived moment-to-moment. Not some mythical promise land you either "luckily wake up in" by chance, or you don't and end up living miserably. Living purposefully starts with knowing your values and then actively bringing them to your actions in every moment.
Every.Single.Moment.
Itâs as simple (and as hard) as that.
Take a moment to refelct:
Do you know your true values? There are many creative ways to unpack that, my favorite is the Values-In-Action Survey linked in article below (takes 20 mins), and my other favorite is this simple 2-min reflection.
Transform your job, into a career, into a calling
90% of the world have a job, the other 9% have a career, and only the top 1% have a calling.
(I just made these numbers up, but I can bet theyâre not far from reality).
Letâs define these: A job is work you do for the paycheck, itâs transactional. A career is work you do for your growth, beyond the pay. A calling is work you do for the sake of doing it, even if you donât get paid.
Now, letâs be realistic; we canât make a living without getting paid.
So, the focus is on finding the sweet spot between work you would do even if you donât get paid, and still get paid for it. Itâs not impossible to do so. Not easy, but also not impossible.
Think about it, how creative (and valuable) can your work be if it connects to your deepest values and youâre passionate about creating every.single.day?
Thatâs value many people (and companies) are willing to pay you for.
How do you get that? By actively bringing your strengths to your job/career, every.single.day.
Take a moment to refelct:
Tomorrowâs the first day of the work week, write down ONE way you can bring your top value (from earlier reflection) to work.
Iâve heard many people complain: âMy company doesnât deserve me, theyâre not using me to my full potential!â
In my opinion, waiting for someone else to "use me to my full potential" is like bringing a McLaren to an F1 race and waiting for a tow truck to drive me. No thanks.
Iâll drive my supercar! âşď¸
Have a Super Sunday!
With much joy,
Hashim
Two other ways I can help you:
MBSR Course: Develop emotional intelligence, reduce stress, and increase focus -more details here. (New cohort starts next month).
30-Day becomeSUPER Challenge: Live at your true full potential using practical tools from the modern science of positive psychology and ancient wisdom of mindfulness - more details here. (Runs annually, register to join waitlist)