A few weeks ago, Brazen Careerist Community Leader Ryan Paugh asked me to create a 30-second video about what I thought was the most important thing that could help an individual "rock their career." Here it is:
The most important thing you can possibly do to have a great career is to know yourself. Research shows that the best leaders in the world don't have anything in common, with the exception of this one thing -- they've redefined "success" to mean "self-awareness." The more we understand ourselves and apply that knowledge in a productive direction the more successful we will be.
But how do we find our area of strength? It boils down to discovering where these three things intersect:
Talent
Life Experience
Passion
Talent is the naturally occurring patterns of behavior we each have, allowing us to effortlessly do some things excellently almost every time. The best way to uncover your innate talent is through an assessment like the Clifton StrengthsFinder™.
Life Experience is made up of the things you know, the skills you've gained, and the experiences you've had that make you, you. It is the cumulative image of all the formative events in your life, your family background, schooling, etc.
Passion is what makes you get out of bed in the morning. It's whatever makes your heart beat a bit faster. It's what you love. These are the things that, when you do them, they never feel like "work" -- even if they're part of your job.
There is also an element of personal Character that encircles all these components, determining whether we focus our unique abilities in a positive or negative way. The whole thing looks something like this:
Feel free to post any questions below.
Also, don't forget to stop by the terrific social community Brazen Careerist: the kind sponsors of the video above and a community of sincere individuals engaging in meaningful conversations about the world of work. Please consider this your official invitation to join if you're not already a part!
//
Then she said to Dorothy, harshly and severely: Come with me; and see that you mind everything I tell you, for if you do not I will make an end of you, as I did of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow. Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle until they came to the kitchen, where the Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she could; for she was glad the Wicked Witch had decided not to kill her.
I perceived that in a moment everyone upon this side of the hill would be moving. I found him in his bar, quite unaware of what was going on behind his house. A man stood with his back to me, talking to him.
Some lists
Down
the hill I saw a bevy of hussars ride under the railway bridge; three
galloped through the open gates of the Oriental College;
two others dismounted, and began running from house to house.
the sun, shining through the smoke that drove up from the tops of the trees,
seemed blood red, and threw an unfamiliar lurid light upon everything.
I
started off at once for the Spotted Dog, for I knew the landlord had a
horse and dog cart. I ran, for I perceived that in a moment everyone
upon this side of the hill would be moving. I found him in his bar,
quite unaware of what was going on behind his house. A man stood with
his back to me, talking to him.
Down the hill I saw a bevy of
hussars ride under the railway bridge; three galloped through the open
gates of the Oriental College;
two others dismounted, and began running from house to house.
the sun, shining through the smoke that drove up from the tops of the trees,
seemed blood red, and threw an unfamiliar lurid light upon everything.