Why Should You Take a Risk in Your Career?

career | career risk | risk

Why bother? Why take a risk in your career? Things are rolling along. You get along well with your boss and teammates, for the most part. Compensation is fair, benefits are a plus, and you are learning and growing. Why rock the boat?

Where do you want to be in your career, really?

Is what you are doing now moving you in the direction you want to go?

What is the end game for your career? Can you see where you want to be? Most people can’t or choose not to. It is difficult to imagine the culmination of all the years of work and growth and development and where you will end up. Hadn’t thought about it that way, had you?

That’s the rub. We don’t think about where we want to be and what we will be doing, since we assume that someone else is in charge.

You’re a high achiever, determined to succeed in your career.

career | riskWe play by the rules, get the degree and follow the path to ever increasing responsibility and reward in the workplace. You are starting to see how this doesn’t fly. Because that is not the experience you are having. And again, it is where most people end up by default.

But not you. You are a high-achiever determined to succeed in your professional role. Except you have not stopped to define success. So you don’t know where you are headed – which makes it difficult to evaluate which risks are worth taking. Help!

You’ve just turned 100. So, what did you accomplish in your career?

I’ve got an assignment for you. Let’s make this fun! Otherwise, you won’t do it – and you will remain stuck in the same place you are now. It is the heat of summer and you likely have some time off. Grab a note pad and pen and write your 100th birthday speech.

A birthday speech is much more fun than a eulogy, don’t you agree? And write it as if someone else were speaking about you and honoring you at this magnificent 100th birthday party. What will they share? What are you known for and how are you known?

Get creative with this. Have fun!

Let’s hear all about you. What did you accomplish and who were you as you did it? Here are some questions to help get you started:

  • Did you build a business or a team or department?
  • Were you known for your ability to have clients sing your praises?
  • Or your employees to thrive from your encouragement and belief in them?
  • Did you discover a cure for a disease or develop a product we never knew we needed?
  • Did you contribute to the success of a business that provided employment for thousands of people and vendors you never knew?

Yes, include your family and personal accomplishments. It’s not the full story if we don’t consider all of you.

You don’t have to finish it all at once. Like any great speech, write a little…do some contemplation…make some tweaks…you’ll know when it’s done.

And don’t forget that even high achievers deserve to have some fun time. So, get out there and go enjoy your vacation!

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