Know Thyself

I read a lot of articles here on LinkedIn that talk about how to be successful if x, y, and z are a factor, and the most recent article I read was no different. Though it was a fairly decent read, it offered alternatives to obstacles in the way of career development and it also spoke to external factors being the reason for the inability to control the output and outcome of one’s work.

The truth is you are 100% in control of the output and outcome of your work.

There's a saying in the Army and it goes something like, "You'll get out of the Army what you put into it." Words to live by, and I mention that to say: if you're not getting what you want out of your work, then maybe you're not putting in to it what you should. And just to add, gender or the color of one's skin or whether or not you use your hands when eating Chicago deep dish pizza has nothing to do with the quantity and quality of work you put out. (Though it's my sincerest opinion you should use your hands in regards to the deep dish.)

In order to have a successful career (and a successful life for that matter) I personally believe that you need to know who you are first and foremost. I used to tell people, “You’re the only person in the world that’s able to be the best you, so take advantage of it!” It’s a great mantra to live by, but it’s equally important to know that being the best means constantly improving on one’s self. In those times when you stop and think that you’re perfect, that’s when you’re about to fail.

I’m a firm believer that if someone is receptive enough to instruction, or is trainable, then there’s not a whole lot that person can’t do. (My height vs. being an NBA all star as an exception.) The challenge however, is understanding yourself and being bold enough to ask yourself if you could be doing better. Whether you’re a rookie just starting your career or have been working in the same field for 20 years, it’s important to not allow yourself to become too comfortable, or complacent.

When people stop pushing themselves to do better work - week in and week out - that’s when they start allowing other people or things to regulate their output (and many times use them as excuses). Those same people often assess themselves as a last resort when fixing a problem, when instead they should be doing a self-assessment as a first step towards finding a solution. It’s definitely a tough pill to swallow for many of us, but we should constantly be challenging ourselves with the idea of possibly being wrong.

If at every important decision you challenge yourself with the thought of possibly being wrong, you’ll see an improvement in your attention to detail, your critical thinking ability, and your reception to instruction and feedback. Ultimately, it will allow yourself to be open for constant improvement and thus allowing you to start being the best you that you can possibly be. And when you have the appropriate confidence in yourself, you’ll be in control of the output and outcome of your work 100%.

Are there external factors that can impact the outcome of your work? Absolutely. Will you have the appropriate confidence in yourself to address them head on and own the change needed? I certainly hope you will.

What challenges are you currently facing? What have you done recently in regards to self-improvement that’s worked well for you? What else would you like to share based on my opinions in this piece? Looking forward to your comments below.