Treat Every Job Like it’s Your Last

In life, we set goals and aspire to future success. We plan for big milestones like graduating from college, buying a house, or getting married. We set resolutions to eat healthier, to become more organized, and to save more for retirement. It’s human nature to continuously strive to better ourselves. After all, life’s great intrigue is not knowing what the future holds – to believe that one day we can become the best version of ourselves.

The progression of a successful career is no different. We challenge ourselves to acquire skills and experiences that push us forward in our professional development. We work to become better at what we do and ultimately more valuable in our field, with the hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. Ambition is an admirable trait, but I realized early in my career that the key to unlocking your full potential starts with the work you are willing to put in today.

The best advice I ever received as a young professional was to treat every job like it’s your last. This does not mean that you shouldn’t aspire to advance your career. It simply means that you should give your absolute best to succeed in the role you’re in now. Every job presents an exciting opportunity for growth that will undoubtedly contribute to your future success, whether you know it or not at the time.

Looking back on my career at Halliburton, there were many times when I started a new job thinking I already knew everything there was to know, only to realize how na?ve I actually was. For example, I became the Country VP of Indonesia directly after serving as the Country VP of Angola. My initial reaction was – same job title different place… here we go again – but that reaction could not have been further from describing the actual experience that lay in store.

That job taught me so many new things that are still just as important to me today, and I quickly realized the degree to which I had underestimated the challenge. The role in Indonesia expanded my horizons and showed me how to look at things in a different way. I grew to understand an extremely complex market, and managed the most diverse workforce I’ve ever seen in my career. Because I truly immersed myself in that role, I left with a deeper understanding of our business, better equipped to handle roles of increasing responsibility in the future.

You never know what’s in store for you if you don’t take the time to learn and open yourself up to new experiences. If you merely treat your current job like a stepping stone to your next promotion, you will never be fully engaged. When you lack motivation, typically your performance suffers – and people will notice. Another thing to remember is the job you’re in today is likely somebody else’s dream job. You may be thinking about your next opportunity, but someone else would love to be in your position now– and they just may get the opportunity if you are not performing at your best.

It all goes back to life in general – the happiest people are the ones who dream big but live every day to the fullest. Take advantage of each and every opportunity in the present, for it is what you do today that shapes who you’ll become tomorrow.

#AdviceThatSticks