How to dream big and achieve success in your career
There is no single approach to dreaming big since everyone’s career aspirations and dreams are unique. However, there are a few general tips that can help you dream big to achieve success in your career.
Start by envisioning what you want your career to look like. It’s important to have a clear idea of what you want out of your career. What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish? But most importantly you have to get clear on why it’s important. For example:
Goal = “I want to make more money” or “I want to have a salary increase”
Why = “With my salary increase I can take more vacation with my children and spend more time as a family”
Once you have a good understanding of your goals and the why behind them, you can start to put together a plan on how to achieve them.
Further listening or reading on goals:
4 Steps to Setting and Achieving Goals
How to Achieve a Buss Out Year
Second, it’s essential to be passionate about what you do. Having a strong interest in your work will help keep you motivated and focused on your goals. This is especially important because you’ll need to be flexible and open to change. Things may not always go according to plan, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.
Further listening:
Step outside your comfort zone
Finally, don’t be afraid to dream big which means stepping outside your comfort zone.
Be honest, have you settled in your career with your current level of experiences and achievements? Are you nervous about going for a new role, switching industries, taking on a leadership role? If anything, it’s the motivation to be the best you’ve ever been. A healthy dose of anxiety and a support team goes a long way.
Each time we stretch outside our comfort zone it opens up many possibilities for growth and opportunities not previously considered. Back in 2013 when I set out on this journey to start Carry On Friends I was nervous. Everytime I wrote a post I got nervous. I felt my writing was ok but was nervous about writing for the world to see. My family and friends have been encouraging me to do the blog for a long time so it made me lean into the nervousness to…just do it. (yeah it’s corny but it fits.) Taking that first step to starting Carry On Friends led to starting the Carry On Friends Podcast that has led to starting a podcast production company, speaking at conferences, leveraging my skills to solve problems for employers and clients.
For each new experience, I was a little nervous and questioned myself because in part I felt I was unknown and being on a large stage. I realized that if they didn’t think I could do a good job, they wouldn’t ask. Most importantly, I had to step outside my comfort zone and really hone in on my skills and deliver.
Further reading:
Write it Down
The final step is to write it all down. I love to journal, write, take notes. Writing down dreams, goals or tasks is a must and I can attest to the many things that I’ve been able to accomplish by making the “vision plain on the tablets.”
Further reading & listening:
How writing Helps You Live Meaningfully, Build Stronger and Achieve Abundantly
The Benefits of Writing in a Journal
Your Turn
In what ways are you dreaming big to achieve success in your career?
