You're struggling to get ahead in your career. What's the key to unlocking your potential?

I am a strong believer in following your passion. Unlocking potential is all about being willing to engage on a regular basis in work that makes us uncomfortable. To push through that discomfort and create meaningful impact is most effective when we are acting on behalf of the cause that drives our soul.

In science, we learned about two concepts: potential and kinetic energy. Potential is stored energy and kinetic is potential energy in action. We often hear common adages like "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." However, the reality is that most of us work jobs we don't enjoy, simply because we need the money. But in this equation, the key is to find what we truly love (not just a career), and once we do, there will be no need for unlocking - we will simply run toward our passion. Therefore, the challenge is to "uncover" what keeps us going and what we want to change because each of us has the power to be an agent of change. The struggle may be real, but remember, finding your passion is the ultimate!

Taking action: Take consistent, focused action towards your goals. Stay motivated and committed even when faced with setbacks or obstacles. Continuous learning: Seek out new experiences, skills, and knowledge that will help you reach your full potential. Be open to feedback and willing to adapt and change as needed.

Become a bona fide expert. Really learn at a deep level. Share what you know. Be humble. There are too many people out there who have learned things superficially and not deeply. They are not built for the long haul. They will be forgotten about quickly. Not so with those who have valuable expertise.

By cultivating self-awareness, pursuing continuous learning, nurturing professional relationships, seizing opportunities, and maintaining resilience, you'll be well-equipped to unlock your full potential and succeed in your career. - Take the time to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and passions. - Prioritize continuous learning. - Building and nurturing professional relationships. - Take risks and seize opportunities that align with your career aspirations. - Maintain a positive attitude and resilience in the face of setbacks. Your career journey may not always be smooth sailing, but each obstacle presents a chance to learn, adapt, and, ultimately, excel.

Establish Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. SMART goals provide clear direction and milestones for your career progression, keeping you motivated and focused.

Craft SMART goals or adapt them to suit your preferences. Be deliberate in setting task deadlines, avoiding deviations of more than one day. Additionally, maintain current project data and assess their potential regularly.

Setting Smart goals is also a way to ensure you improve on your career and learn new ideas. It serves as a proper guide to an individual in ensuring you are at per with the current changes in one's field.

Maintaining a SMART mindset is crucial for unlocking potential. Quantifying our objectives, establishing checkpoints, monitoring our progress with metrics allows us to see exactly what we're working toward. Breakdown tasks into more manageable portions to increase the likelihood of success. Creating a plan that includes short-term and long-term objectives will help you stay motivated and keep tabs on your progress. The SMART framework approach develops a path of clarity, accountability, and continual progress, resulting in tangible outcomes and personal growth.

Setting realistic goals that are obtainable can help keep you motivated and on track. Specific: What do you want to do? Measurable: How to determine when you have met your goal? Achievable: Is this realistic and obtainable? Relevant: How does this goal relate to your goals in life or at the workplace? Timely: Do you have a time frame in which you would like to achieve your goal?

Exposing ourselves to new ideas helps us align with the things we want more of and the things that we don’t want to engage with. I often find myself looking for training in topics that I am not familiar with to see if it aligns with my professional goals and to assess if a shift if needed. Learning is vital because it may help bring things to light that we may have missed or forgotten about.

Success is so much more than promotions and financial gains. Loving what you do and showing it in everything you set out to accomplish will lead you to success in all areas of your life.

1. Self-Reflection: Evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, and goals to guide your career path. 2. Skill Development: Continuously learn and update your skills to stay relevant in your industry. 3. Networking: Build and maintain professional relationships to open up new opportunities. 4. Visibility: Increase your presence in your field through contributions like articles or talks. 5. Feedback: Seek and act on feedback to improve and adapt to changes in your career. 6. Mentorship: Find a mentor for guidance and support as you navigate your career journey. 7. Resilience: Stay persistent and maintain a positive attitude through challenges. 8. Work-Life Balance: Take care of your physical and mental health to sustain your career growth.

Continuously look for ways to learn new skills or deepen existing ones. Whether through formal education, online courses, or on-the-job training, expanding your expertise is crucial.

Achieving your full potential and advancing in your career involves actively seeking learning opportunities. This may mean taking the initiative on unfamiliar projects, stepping out of your comfort zone, and embracing new challenges. By doing so, you gain valuable experience navigating uncharted territory, while also learning to seek advice and feedback from colleagues. Engaging with others allows you to tap into their expertise, perspectives, and insights, ultimately enriching your own growth and development.

I’m a big supporter of “it’s not who you know but who knows you” when it comes to networking. You can know 100 people but do any of them remember you. I have coworkers that were offered interviews without the job being posted just based on their past relationship with leadership. Make connections but in meaningful ways.

Networking is important for broadening your learning horizon as a professional. The fun part of networking is when you consider people at, above, and below your achievement levels (professionally) and outside your known domain areas. Learning can be powerful and used even in your own professional work.

It is hard to separate seek learning from build your network. As you expand contacts you find potential mentors and collaborators. When we set up a minifellowship in rural family medicine, a newsletter expanded to thousands a year when snail mail was the standard. We captured names at meetings, doing research, and in person. Our studies indicated the need to have support from outside of departments of family medicine as departments were mostly about duties not related to research and teaching and rural health. Many more opportunities exist now to find mentors and others that can boost your career.

Networking is such an important tool. Expanding your network can inadvertently introduce you to people who have key contacts, and know people who know people who can assist you. You may learn about professional development coursesthat you had no idea existed and may be just the training you need. Networks work.

I love connecting people and resources. The key is to listen to the perceived problem and introduce others, resources, or give tips on strategies that worked for you to solve the concern.

How many times have you been asked to do something for a client, a colleague, or a supervisor and you dutifully complete the task and deliver the desired results? That is, after all, your job…right? And on those occasions when someone says, “Thanks”, you respond with, “No problem”, thinking you will be appreciated for the loyalty you’re demonstrating. The fact is, the more you do this, the less likely the value you’re adding will be recognized. A better approach when asked would be to say something like,” I’ve got a very busy week, but let me see what I can do.” And, when you complete the task highlight the value you added through your superior problem solving, better outcome, dollars saved, etc.

Though I agree with these steps, I believe many barriers are internal & unrecognized. To break, them we must 1st tell the truth (at least to ourselves). My mentees answer these questions privately, no time limit. What creates my joy? Why do I want this career? What am I willing to risk/sacrifice ? Do I believe I deserve it? Describe my perfect day including: when & how I wake up, what I eat, wear, sense, whom I see, serve, avoid, my commute, my specific activities, environments, teams, leaders, outcomes, self-care, relationships, exercise, fun, spirituality, other valued factors, last awake moments. What behavioral health services, training, credentials, resources, do I need to create this day? Surprise! Minds & paths change.

One thing that I have found helpful is to ask those I've helped to give me a "testimonial" on how I have helped them. I summarized the issue and the solution and ask them to tell others how this was beneficial to them. "I didn't know where to look for respite care for my Dad, Becky identified several resources AND gave me a checklist on how to evaluate their services. Dad is happy and I have the support that I need."

This is a delicate one. I, for example, do not like to "show off" my accomplishments. That said, it is crucial that you become your won cheerleader when it comes to your skills, knowledge, and areas of expertise. If you can narrate your own story as you are listing things (hopefully, in a document), you would likely stand out from the crowd.

Be proactive to new opportunities, it’s a great chance to showcase your abilities and demonstrate your uniqueness to the team, as well as a valuable asset to the company.

We've all heard the saying "dress for the job you want." I find that to be both literally and metaphorically true. Take the additional assignment. Put in the work. If you desire advancement, people need to be able to see you in that light. Don't limit yourself to a specific company or that one specific promotion, though. Someone you work with daily may not be able to be objective and see you or your growth, but someone else, somewhere else... They'll see.

Stay focused. Sometimes it may feel like you haven’t progressed at all, but you have. Enjoy the journey: you never know what other doors may open for you and you end up somewhere else. Still, remember your goal: if it is a job you are going for, prepare well, do your research and talk to people. Communication and networking will support you. Remember: every journey starts with a single step- Lao Tzu.

Here are simplified ways to stay motivated and resilient in your career journey: 1. Set Goals:Define achievable goals that align with your career aspirations. 2.Create a Plan:Develop a timeline and steps to reach your goals. 3. Stay Organized:Keep track of tasks and deadlines for focus and productivity. 4. Learn Continuously:Acquire new skills and knowledge for growth. 5. Be Adaptive:Embrace change and challenges in your industry. 6. Seek Feedback:Get insights from mentors and peers to improve. 7. Stay Positive:Maintain a positive mindset and practice self-care. 8. Network:Build relationships for support and opportunities. 9. Celebrate Achievements:Acknowledge successes 10. Reflect:Learn from experiences to evolve in your career journey.

All you need is a dream. Having a goal is the greatest motivator in achieving what you want. After that you can then make a plan and find resources to take you there.

Be human - Lead by example. Write cover letters and share not only what you learned from a textbook or accomplished in school. Lived experience is worth more far more at times in regard to building rapport and sustaining working relationships with clients.

One of the most significant mistakes people make in trying to advance their career is spending too much time focusing on themselves. Demonstrating genuine concern for that which matters most to others is a surefire way to build partnerships and add value to key relationships among your workgroup. Instead of struggling to advance yourself, consider facilitating the legitimate needs of those you’re in a position to benefit. When it comes time to consider someone for advancement of responsibility, the people who come to mind to decision-makers aren’t going to be those who fight selfishly for themselves, but rather, those who fight selflessly for others. Through this realization, you’ll promote excellence…and excellence promotes itself!

A quote that Earl Nightingale used to say was, “Do more than you’re paid to do and someday you’ll be paid for more than you do.” I’ve found that to be true. If your effort is purely transactional and task related and stops the second you clock out, how will you develop into the person who has any mastery over what you’re doing? You will remain a paid task performer. Doing more than you’re paid to do looks like doing the work to fully understand your industry and learn all you can outside of the scope of your current position. You can’t do that entirely on the clock. You may have to get a degree, take a course, get a certificate, study on your own, etc. If you won’t do any of that without guaranteed immediate payoff it’s hard to advance.

Understanding the business as a whole. Know the data around your work, align with goals of the organization and have clarity on how what you do fits into the financial well being of the organization.

Find a mentor -either internally or externally. Building a relationship with a mentor who aligns with your goals and values is invaluable. And be reciprocal -can you offer your mentor something -even just appreciation, or can you pay it forward by mentoring someone else.

One of the most important aspects to success is MINDSET. MINDSET matters every single day. If your subconscious is riddled with unchecked fear, doubt, and extreme self criticism you will be hit with a ton of bricks aka inertia. This is why many people struggle with consistency. Most people start new projects, hobbies and even jobs but few are able to weather the storm necessary to get to the finish line because of what they truly believe about themselves and the goals they want to accomplish. If you are unable to master your mind, you will be unable to master anything else. Mindset work is continual because once you accomplish one goal, the next goal will be awaiting.