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If you don't have a big career goal or are not prepared to get one, then this newsletter is not for you.
We're on a mission to support ambitious professionals to achieve BIG goals, and that's what this issue is all about.
Let's get into it:
As Confucious wrote,
"Your second life begins when you realise you only have one."
Your career is a huge part of your life:
in it, you will spend approximately 90,000 hours at work.
It's a major opportunity to do something meaningful.
If you choose not to, that's okay.
But most of us want to have a big impact.
We just find reasons to put it off.
Here's what we've learned:
There's never a good time.
If you might get to the end of your life and regret not aiming bigger, then it's time to change that now.
That's why we recommend having at least one big, overarching career goal that outlines what you want to achieve and the overall impact you want to have.
So, do you have a big career goal?
If you're not sure, or want to create one, here are 3 tests to use:
3 TESTS TO HAVE BIG, MEANINGFUL CAREER GOALS
Test 1: Do your BIG career goals have a time horizon of more than 10 years?
We overestimate what we can do in 12 months,
And underestimate what we can do in 10 years.
Your 10-year goal should feel totally impossible.
If you don't have a long-term goal, go back to the drawing board (and reach out to us for help if you need it).
Test 2: Do your BIG career goals scare and challenge you?
Your goals should scare you: being scared is a good sign that you're trying to achieve something that really matters to you.
And they should challenge you: when you're challenged you're required to learn, grow, and get closer to the potential you're capable of.
Test 3: Are your BIG goals something you'd share with your great-grandkids?
When you're 90, what stories do you want to tell your great-grandkids?
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
BIG goals are about becoming the person you want to be and achieving the things that matter most to you.
If your goal isn't something you'd tell your great-grandkids about, it's not big enough.
For the action takers:
- Ensure you have at least one BIG career goal.
- Make sure it's big enough by applying the tests above.
We would love to hear your BIG goals - please share them!
And don't forget to reach out if you get stuck.
Thanks so much for reading!
Speak soon,
Lynne and Steve
TLDR
- There are no do-overs in life. As a major aspect of your life, spend time clearly defining what you want in your career, so you don't get to the end of it and look back with regrets.
- Have a big, meaningful career goal that outlines what you want to achieve and the impact you want to have.
- Test if your goal is big enough by applying our 3 tests.
When you're ready to accelerate your career, here's how to ask about working with us:
We offer career coaching & mentoring to support leaders to build confidence and achieve their goals, and are developing career-building courses coming soon.