Take Control of Your Career

It is 101 degrees outside with high humidity. There is nothing you can do but crank the air conditioner and watch movies or play games. It has been this way for several days and no relief tomorrow. Maybe some rain on Friday.

Ever feel this way about your career?

Have you ever gotten to a place where your environment just seems to hold you back? If not, you are lucky or young. No matter how much you love what you do, love the company you work for or love the business you own, things are stagnant.

When you get in this place you need to ask yourself two questions.

1) Is this a sign that you are burning out?
2) Are you not being challenged enough?

The latter is easier to deal with than the former. Burnout is rarely recoverable if you stay at the same company. I am not saying it is impossible, but not probable. Burnout is caused by reaching an apathetic state. You just do not care anymore. It is typically caused by poor management. I often tell people who feel like they are burned out that they need to move on to another role in the company or move on.

If you are not feeling challenged, it is typically your problem. If your company is doing well, there should be plenty of opportunities. You need to find them. Don’t let your boss get in the way. If he is holding you back, deal with it. You need to be aggressive and on the offensive. After repeated attempts to get your boss to support your goals and he is still unwilling to work with you, fire him.

Don’t stay with a boss that is not your champion. I hear so much whining about how bad bosses treat people and wreck careers, etc. Take control of your own career. There are some good books out there about how to fire your boss. I’ll dig them up and mention them in my next post.

You need to love what you do and be the best. Those are achievable goals if you have the desire to reach them.

Think I might head to the pool this evening!