5 Personal Development Principles To Help You Excel In Your Career

There was once a time where you would go into the job market, get an entry level position with a company and then spend the rest of your working years with that company slowly moving up the ladder. Things are far different in today’s society, though, as people are bouncing from company to company thanks to advanced networking and new higher paying opportunities. You have to have a certain mindset to excel in your career to get those opportunities, and here are five personal development principles that will help you along the way.

5. You Have to Leave the Comfort Zone

Have you ever met someone that has been in the same job position for years and years, not wanting to leave because they’re comfortable? If they’re truly happy and don’t want to spend more hours at work, then that’s completely fine. If you’re someone that wants to excel and advance in your career, though, you can’t get stagnant. Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Try things that you normally wouldn’t do at work to get that experience and notoriety that will set you apart.

4. Failure Will Happen

While ideally we might think that the path to career success is a gradual hill, it’s more like a roller coaster at a county fair. There are going to be so many ups and downs in your professional life that it can leave you dizzy. Accept that failures are going to happen at various points in your life, and it will make things much easier to handle when they do happen. Remember that when one door closes, another door opens. Many have been distraught with what was a perceived failure in their careers that ended up being a blessing.

3. Be Present

Some of us tend to drift through life mentally, and our average work day is no exception. People can lose focus quickly and start daydreaming or simply stare off into space. To change this, you’ll want to be mentally present at all times when working. Observe where you are and what you’re doing. Remember to breathe and take in the moment while actively listening to what others are saying. People will notice right away if you’re present, and this will help your career more than you know.

2. Assess Your Time

Though it doesn’t have a price tag on it, time is the most valuable thing in your life. You don’t know how much of it you have on this Earth, so it’s important to use it wisely. Fairly often, you should assess how you’re spending your time. Do you spend too much of it procrastinating or not enough time getting rest? Try to break down your time to the best of your abilities and see where changes can be made. 

1. Seek Support

One problem that a lot of people have is that they don’t want to ask for help, and that’s not just with a career, that’s in any situation. Stubbornness in your career can end up being what’s holding you back from success. If you’re struggling with staying on task, keeping a schedule or really anything else, seek out support. Get advice from those that have been through similar situations to see how they handled things. Sometimes just hearing some small tidbits of advice can help you in the big picture.