To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.
The bottom line is that the definition of success and a satisfying career is different for every person. One single how-to-do technique might be an excellent avenue for one individual and a total waste of time for most other people.
So where does that leave you? It leaves you standing in the on-deck circle getting ready to come up to bat without really knowing what game you are playing. All of the things you might do at this point in time would probably be a waste of time if you have not done your homework. An old saying goes that you have to cover one base at a time. I am suggesting that you cannot cover one base at a time until you first get up to bat and understand the game. And in order to understand the game you first have to define in your own terms what the definition of success and career are.
Everyone has their own best way of meditating and thinking and coming to a decision. If you have a technique that works for you, use it – invest half a day or more in thinking through how you are going to define success and career. If you do not have a method that works, try the “Six R” program that is outlined in the steps below.
Regard. The concerns, desires and feelings of those who are close to you must be analyzed. Have extended, very serious discussions with all of the principal people and family members in your life – your spouse, parents, children, friends and respected associates. Let them know that their input is very important in your deliberations. Don’t be afraid to take some notes.
Read. Designate a number of weeks where all of your outside reading will concern work on self analysis, evaluation and direction. Take notes.
Research. Talk with knowledgeable people and again read about any area or discipline that might be of interest to you. Don’t be afraid to call and make an appointment to talk to someone in a particular industry who is doing something that is of interest to you. People love talking about themselves and what they do and can give you insights that are available nowhere else. Take notes.
Retreat. Get away, take at least half a day, preferably a whole weekend, where you can be by yourself and think. Stay away from the phone and interruptions. Go to the mountains or the seashore where you can be alone.
Review. Take all of your notes and go back over all that you have read and think about the discussions that you have had. Look into the conflicting statements and viewpoints and then stack them up against your own personal interests and desires.
Reach a Decision. Your decision should not be set in stone. What is necessary is a general direction and focus to your efforts. What you are developing is a tract and a philosophy to defining “success” and ‘career” in terms of your life, your aspirations and your happiness. Do not forget to include all aspects of your life.
What will you have? Definitions. Write them down; come up with a purpose and a goal.
Through this exercise, you are looking to abstractly take feeling and knowledge that you have concerning (1) what you have done professionally; (2) what you can do based on your professional, personal and educational skills; and (3) what you would like to do, and combine all three components into your definitions of “career” and “success.”
The key point here is that you decide for yourself what you want out of your life before you begin looking for it and working for it. I am not so naïve to not know that unfortunately there are many considerations that may not allow you to do what you really want to do the most – things like paying for college educations, older parents who must be looked after precluding relocation, and various other obligations. Even if you do not put as much effort as I suggest you do into the project, at least sit down and in your mind formulate a plan to which you can refer.
In effect, we are talking about you, your family and the rest of your life. There is truly nothing more important in this world.
