You’re looking for a career in sustainability. How can you build resilience to succeed?

1 Assess your strengths and weaknesses

The first step to building resilience is to know yourself and your current level of resilience. You can use self-assessment tools, such as the Resilience Scale or the Resilience Questionnaire, to measure your resilience and identify the areas where you need to improve. You can also ask for feedback from your colleagues, mentors, or supervisors on how you handle stress, challenges, and failures. By assessing your strengths and weaknesses, you can set realistic and achievable goals for your personal and professional growth.

2 Learn from your experiences

The second step to building resilience is to learn from your experiences, both positive and negative. Every experience, whether it's a success or a failure, is an opportunity to learn something new and improve your skills and knowledge. You can use reflection techniques, such as journaling, debriefing, or mentoring, to analyze your experiences and extract the lessons learned. You can also use feedback techniques, such as peer review, evaluation, or coaching, to get constructive and actionable suggestions on how to improve your performance. By learning from your experiences, you can increase your confidence and competence.

3 Manage your emotions

The third step to building resilience is to manage your emotions, especially the negative ones that can affect your well-being and productivity. You can use emotional regulation techniques, such as mindfulness, breathing, or meditation, to calm yourself and reduce stress and anxiety. You can also use cognitive restructuring techniques, such as reframing, challenging, or affirming, to change your negative thoughts and beliefs into positive ones. By managing your emotions, you can enhance your mood and motivation.

4 Seek support and collaboration

The fourth step to building resilience is to seek support and collaboration from others who share your passion and vision for sustainability. You can use networking techniques, such as joining professional associations, attending events, or connecting online, to expand your contacts and resources. You can also use collaboration techniques, such as forming teams, partnering, or co-creating, to leverage the diverse skills and perspectives of others. By seeking support and collaboration, you can increase your social capital and influence.

5 Embrace change and innovation

The fifth step to building resilience is to embrace change and innovation, which are essential for sustainability. You can use adaptation techniques, such as scanning, planning, or experimenting, to anticipate and respond to the changing needs and expectations of your stakeholders. You can also use innovation techniques, such as brainstorming, prototyping, or testing, to generate and implement new ideas and solutions. By embracing change and innovation, you can create value and impact.

6 Celebrate your achievements and contributions

The sixth and final step to building resilience is to celebrate your achievements and contributions, which are often overlooked or undervalued in sustainability. You can use recognition techniques, such as rewarding, praising, or thanking, to acknowledge and appreciate your own and others' efforts and results. You can also use celebration techniques, such as sharing, showcasing, or partying, to communicate and celebrate your successes and impacts. By celebrating your achievements and contributions, you can boost your self-esteem and satisfaction.