5 ways to increase your chances of a successful career

Like many of you, the end of the year provides me with a wonderful opportunity for reflection. Thinking about cherished relationships, successes, failures and progresses, I make sure to recount my blessings and ponder new challenges that are sure to be lying in wait over the next year.

Being connected with so many wonderful people, both offline and on social media, I'm fortunate to come across so many ideas, thoughts and opinions that often become the spark of some great insights. Recently, I came across a video of renowned author and consultant, Simon Sinek, who spoke candidly about the challenges facing young people in today's workplace.

Simon offers some fascinating, in-depth insights into the issues we are all facing in our efforts to create, innovate, and succeed. When it comes to Millennials, he explores four specific areas that he suggests are the cause of common difficulties young people are currently experiencing. Over the years, I've listened to so many leaders give their ideas on the obstacles faced by leaders and their followers alike; but Simon Sinek's short interview is one of the best I've seen so far in terms of the substance of analysis.

His comments got me wondering whether we leaders, motivational speakers and coaches can sometimes be guilty of presenting success as a quick and formulaic process. Sure, many of us are quick to say things such as "failure is inevitable — use it as a learning experience," or, "Success takes grit, perseverance, passion, and commitment." On the other hand, everywhere we look, we see articles and videos proclaiming, "20 top habits of successful people", "Morning rituals of famous billionaires", "If you want to be successful, follow these 37 rules", and so on.

Success can sometimes be implied as being unattainable only to those who fail to put in the effort: in other words, if you're not successful, you're probably lazy and/or lack talent. It's little wonder, then, that Sinek highlights the sad reality of increasing suicide rates and depression among young people, alongside other malignant consequences that follow on from people being told that they can achieve anything they want, simply because they're special. For many, it's a painful lesson when reality hits home.

In his book, 50 Rules Kids Won't Learn in School, Charles J. Sykes presents some tough-love observations that some adults (let alone kids) could use as a helpful reminder. Many of you will likely have come across some of Sykes' observations, as a list of them are commonly and incorrectly attributed to Bill Gates whenever the list does the rounds online. Nevertheless, they offer a realistic view of how life is for all of us, and drives home the message that success is never formulaic, nor does it come down to any one factor. If hard work guaranteed success, there'd be much fewer poor people in the world. Sadly, a vast number of impoverished people remain so, despite their efforts to work hard and persevere.

As I thought about what it means to be successful...what it takes to be successful, I realised that, actually, even if we do all the things we're supposed to do and even if our circumstances are favourable, it still doesn't guarantee that we'll have great careers. After all, life happens, and sometimes it need only throw one or two curve balls our way that force us to drastically change course.

I can already hear some thoughts bubbling to the surface. "But, Roshan, if ever we're forced to change course, then we should just strive to make the best of our situation", "Everyone faces unexpected obstacles, but it doesn't mean you can't become a success if you are diligent." I agree with these kinds of thoughts. Sometimes people do use their circumstances as excuses that allow them to give up, which is surely a shame given the potential that exists within us all. My point is that success is never easy, and it certainly is never guaranteed even under the best circumstances.

But while the best laid plans can often go awry, there is something we can all do to increase the likelihood of success and that something is to prepare ourselves as best we can for the opportunities that may lie in wait. So how is it that young people (and adults) can best prepare for opportunities that might come their way, or be created by their efforts? Here are a few suggestions from my own experience, as well as insights I've learned from others:

1. Have conversations — face-to-face conversations As much as I can, I have always sought to make personal connections with others. Emails, WhatsApp messages and other forms of communications are great and have their place, but there's just no substitute for in-person interactions. These are where the best ideas come from, where unexpected opportunities arise, and where strong bonds are formed. In my experience, having 10 solid connections is worth much more, on so many levels, than possessing 100 business cards or having 10,000 followers on LinkedIn. Again, these all have their own value, but nothing beats building personal rapport with others.
2. Ditch the phone Simon Sinek discusses this in his video, and it's something I fully agree with (and something I'm occasionally guilty of not doing). Almost all of us will know the frustration of having lunch or dinner with someone who breaks the connection to check in on their emails and messages. Chances are that we've been that person. But the reality is that neither we nor our emails are so important that we can't give our full attention to the person or people we're with for an hour or so. A good rule of thumb is to just leave the phone in the pocket. If there are any genuine potential emergencies, let the person know that you might have to take a call; otherwise, the only connection you should be worrying about is the one with whoever is in your company.
3. Give often, and give more I recently wrote about the gift of giving when it comes to working relationships and I believe a common reason why people "fail" in their achievements is because they look to take a lot from others, with little thought of giving back. However, a ton of research and anecdotal evidence shows that those who give sincerely (i.e. without expecting anything in return) tend to receive much more back than those who simply take or offer services in return for future favours. This phenomenon is covered in Wharton professor Adam Grant's excellent book Give and Take. It turns out that it is actually better to give than to receive, for many reasons.
4. Be patient Simon Sinek implies that, as Millennials are especially used to an age of instant gratification, they can hardly be blamed when they feel that success doesn't come quickly enough. This is why the cultivation of patience is not just a virtue, but a necessity for success to manifest. Few people who have achieved great things or made a significant impact on the world have done so overnight. Success takes deliberate practise, nurture, development, and time to grow. Perhaps a tiny number of people will be lucky enough to hit on a quick success, but important aspects such as reputation, status, expertise and knowledge take time to cultivate to a rewarding standard.
5. Humility is key Graduating from college is just the beginning of education — it shows an ability to think and to use relevant resources in achieving goals...there's no such thing as certified awesomeness. Even the world's greatest leaders are still learning new things, simply because the world evolves at a greater pace as time moves on. A central pillar of success is to be humble in the recognition of what you do not know, so that you'll always be motivated to keep on learning and, as a result, continue to grow and develop. If you establish a mindset that says, "I've got it all figured out," then that mountain you have to climb has just grown by another 50 per cent.

Roshan Thiran is the CEO of Leaderonomics - a social enterprise working to transform lives through leadership development and nurturing potential. Connect with Roshan on Facebook for more insights into business, personal development, and leadership.