You may be a mid-level corporate employee who feels your career path has struck a stubborn dead-end. Maybe you’re a single mom and you’re fighting your hardest to provide for your children with two minimum wage jobs. Perhaps you’re a recent college graduate and you have visions of grandeur for your future, but haven’t the faintest clue where to start. The good news in all of these situations is that there are always steps you can take to induce growth. Staying motivated at your current job and continuing to reap benefits is not exclusive to those who live their dream jobs. Check out the tips below to squeeze maximum potential out of your present job.
1. Establish meaningful connections
To some it may be a no-brainer, but getting to know the people you work with on more meaningful levels is an ideal way to remain motivated. Handling an entire workday with people you despise or simply don’t know very well can make it feel like forever. Take a few minutes, two or three times during the day, to ask your coworkers some genuine questions. You’ll likely be surprised by the amount of information you come across. Who knows – perhaps you’ll make a lasting connection through simple, straightforward conversation! What’s more, establishing meaningful connections throughout your place of work is likely to open doors faster, if that’s something you’re hopeful for. Someone wise once said, “There’s always one more spot for a person in any career who delivers quality exceptionally well.” Don’t mentally impede yourself from progress before you’ve even given it a chance!
2. Clearly outline a handful of goals
Across the incredibly wide spectrum of available jobs, any workplace can feel more like a prison without relevant, significant goals. Setting clear goals for yourself in your job is guaranteed to make your work feel more meaningful. First, think of the position you want to move into or excel at. You can’t move forward until you’ve established at least a handful of pertinent checkpoints. Second, outline your goal on paper and keep it easily accessible. The number one reason people fail to reach their goals is because they are not physically written down and periodically reviewed. Break this nasty cycle by reviewing your written goals frequently!
3. Pour out your full effort
This may seem like another “Duh!” moment, but it is far and away worth mentioning. You are only hampering your own growth if you aren’t pouring out your full effort every day. Success knocks on the door of those who are committed to excellence (even in the small things), not those who are looking for a shortcut at every turn. In addition to this, you may subsequently impress your supervisor or boss when you start kicking butt on the clock. If you were previously someone who lagged behind and now there’s a spring in your step, people will take notice. Everyone likes someone who works hard, and this virtue alone is likely to work in your favor.
4. Ask questions
Fostering a genuine curiosity about your workplace and taking moments to ask questions is one of the magic doors you can open of your own accord. The reason questions are so powerful is because they provide a way to discover new information. And new information – of any kind – can be used for your benefit. “Knowledge is power” has rung true for decades, but it has never been truer than in the Information Age. Harnessing the discoveries that arise from your questions can establish the difference between the mediocre execution of a job and authentic fulfillment.
