Career: Looking at the big picture
Written by R. A. Stewart
If you are young and have your whole life in front of you then no doubt you will have given some thought as to what you would like to do in the future and the best time to start thinking about that is the present. I have some questions which will help clarify your thinking as you consider all of your options.
- What action can I take today which my future self will thank me for?
- Do I spend my spare time doing things which add value to my life?
- Do I have a good attitude to whatever task I am assigned?
- Do I manage my money wisely?
- Am I living my own life?
- Am I aiming too low?
- Are my goals too vague?
- What action can I take which my future self will thank me for.
There are some things which you can do today which your future self will thank you for. One of these is to join a retirement scheme and contribute to it all of your life. No one is going to reach the retirement age and regret contributing to a retirement scheme all of their lives.
Giving up current pleasures for the benefit of the future of tomorrow will pay dividends.
Always look at the big picture.
- Do I spend time doing things which add value to my life?
Think of how you spend your time and ask yourself “Does this add value to my life?”
It will be a good idea to list all of the things you have done today and replace some of the time wasting activities doing something useful.
- Do I have a good attitude to whatever task I am assigned?
You may be in a job which you consider is beneath you, but even so, it is your responsibility to perform tasks which are assigned to you. That is what you are paid to do. A bad attitude tends to follow people around from one job to another.
- Do I manage my money wisely?
Too many people have the attitude of “You can’t take it all with you”, then when some major life event comes along such as a job loss, marriage, or kids they have nothing to fall back on. It is all about being responsible with your money. Saving and investing money require vision because you are making provision for something which has not occurred in your life yet.
- Am I living my own life?
Your goals should be your own and not something which others have told you that you should be doing. Don’t just decide to take up a particular career just because your peers are doing it. You must look to your own skills and talents and use that as a springboard to your career.
- Am I aiming too low?
Nothing kills off ambition like getting into a rut and being comfortable there. Starting from the bottom to earn some money is one thing but you don’t have to park your car there for life. It is always a good idea to take some courses in your spare time in order to improve yourself. It is bad enough that others may put limitations on you, but don’t sell yourself short as a result.
- Are my Goals too Vague?
It is important to have goals which are measurable and meaningful. Just saying “I want to find a job” is too vague. A goal needs to be specific. Once you have decided on your goal it then becomes a matter of how you are going to achieve it.
Whatever you are going to do, always look at the big picture and think “How will this benefit my future? It takes vision to plan for your future and making preparations for what may come will put you in a better position to deal with curveballs which life may bring.
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Working in your chosen field
You may not have the talent or inclination to be an international sportsperson but you can be an asset in your chosen field and that does not mean that you have to be something out of the ordinary to become a valued member of society. A person who works at an entry level job can do so with such a good attitude that their diligence will not go unnoticed by their employers.
You may not particularly like your job and have any control over what happens at work but your attitude is something you can control. An employer with a bad attitude will take that bad attitude with them wherever they go.
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