20 years later, will you still be happy?
When I was in the university, I remember an alumni being introduced on stage as one with 20 years of experience. “Wow, he’s really old!,” I said in my mind. Today, I am that kind of old, myself.
(Thankfully though, when I was invited to speak in my university as an alumni, I was only in my 2nd or 3rd year of working! So I was safe from that kind of remark! Ha!)
Despite having more strands of gray hair on my head, I am grateful and joyful to share that I still feel the same zest and excitement for work, as if I was a fresh graduate starting my first job. I still get those kilig moments and do my happy dance after completing a project or receiving a thank you message from a client.
And though there were moments that shook me, these were the same moments that made me stronger.
In this edition of the Career Agility Newsletter, I am sharing with you some tips that helped me continue to create joy and meaning through the years of working, and in different seasons of my life.
Don’t wing it, give it your best
To be honest, I am still mildly shocked when I hear people say, “I’m just going to wing it!” especially when it comes to professional or business engagements.
I have experienced winging it. But it was during those light and fun times when maybe you’re asked to sing, participate in a game or answer a random question from the host during a Christmas or birthday party.
But not when it comes to work, family, or other areas I value.
Modesty aside, I’ve always been known as someone who’s reliable. When I commit to do something, you are assured that I get the job done the best way I can. And that’s regardless of whether I am doing it for a big paycheck or pro bono. (This is also why I carefully choose what I say “yes” to.)
It’s one thing to deliver excellent work, and it’s another thing to be consistent at it.
Whether you like it or not, people are watching you (even behind the curtains of your rich social media profile). They see what you do and how you work.
Are you always late for meetings? Do you deliver your presentation unprepared and scrambling for words to say? Do you pay your suppliers on time?
Every little thing counts. And you’ll never know if the person seeing what you do could be your next boss or your next high profile client.
Want to have a more successful career? Don’t wing it. Be consistently excellent at what you do.
Be curious and humble to learn and try
I’ve always been an independent worker, even as a child. During the summer break in highschool, I taught myself how to use Adobe Photoshop and create websites using Geocities. When I started working, I would explore our learning portal and go through resources that are available to employees. I would also readily volunteer to lead projects beyond my job description.
My career progression was faster than expected. I became a young people manager early in my career and found my way through Learning & Development, Business Operations, a regional role, and now a Coach and Facilitator.
There’s really no secret or no shortcut through all these. As simple as it may sound, curiosity and humility carried me through. I asked questions. I did the research. I asked for help. I rolled up my sleeves and did even the dirty work.
Think you know it all already? Think again and empty your cup. There is always something new to learn.
Embrace who you are and the seasons you are in
Long before I knew what coaching is and how it can help you expand self-awareness, I already had a sense of who I am and what I want. Despite being in a highly technical role at first, I realized that I found fulfillment in other roles I played on the side – project management and training facilitation. This was what led me to later on pursue Learning and Development, and eventually coaching.
My career moves also aligned with the different seasons in my life. I moved to a regional and somewhat remote role when I was a new mom. Those were the times when my priorities leaned towards having the flexibility to be fully present for my growing child.
But awareness of yourself and your seasons is not enough. I’ve met (and even coached) many who are very much self-aware, but were still stuck. Awareness must be translated to action. It’s not enough that you know, it’s more important that you become and you do what is aligned to what you know.
Own your career growth and your path
You own your career. Not your boss. Not your parents. Not your spouse. You are in control.
It’s sad that I still meet many who are doing what they are doing out of pressure or expectations from others, the desire to fit in, or the lack of confidence to pursue what they really want. Thankfully, some of them are courageous enough to seek help and to take the first steps to fully own their careers and their path.
Though I always held the reins of my career through my corporate years, transitioning out shook my confidence and awakened my fears. This was when I took advantage of the career transition support provided to us, and also separately hired a professional coach to work on my inner struggles. It was a worthwhile investment of time, money and energy.
Kindness goes a long way.
We can’t do it all alone. We need others, and others need us. Being kind to others doesn’t just brighten someone else’s day, but also positively impacts us.
And don’t forget to be kind to yourself too! When you’ve fallen in love with your career or your life in general, it becomes all the more important to take care of yourself. I came to a point last year when I thought, if I want to continue doing what I love doing, I need to be more intentional about taking care of my health.
No Special tools needed. You can start today, and do it consistently to make a difference. Coach Kurly de Guzman is a Career and Leadership Coach and one of a LinkedIn’s Top Voice based in the Philippines. She continuously seeks ways to help coaches, leaders and teams thrive through her newsletter, leadership and career development workshops as well as group and 1:1 coaching session for clients.
To work with Kurly, send an email to hello@kurlydeguzman.com or book an exploratory call to discuss your organization’s needs here
