Habits are tricky things. They can fuel higher levels of performance or act like kryptonite, suppressing your potential. Fortunately, we have control over habits, although some may be more difficult to form or change than others. In order to avoid living on autopilot and advance in your career, you have to be intentional with your time every day. That sounds like a big undertaking, but there are a few simple actions you can take on a daily basis to set yourself up for success. Here are 3 small daily habits that will have a big impact on your career.
Connect with people
Look for ways to connect with people who are doing what you want to do, or who are already excelling in an area where you want to improve. Whether it’s reaching out to an old friend via email, grabbing coffee with someone you want to learn from, talking with an acquaintance who works at a company you’d love to work for, or even just spending a few minutes bonding with your current team – real relationships are crucial, no matter what industry you’re in.
Ask questions
Ask your boss how they got where they are today, ask your colleague what they’re working on, ask a friend to explain a foreign concept to you, ask for help when you need it. Be curious—in meetings, while sitting at your desk, at events, over drinks. Always strive to learn more and understand what you don’t know. There’s truly no such thing as a dumb question (in fact, it’ll only make you look smarter), and if you don’t ask now, you’ll only look back later and wish you had.
Reflect
When you’re making progress in your career, it’s encouraging to record that progress. Take some time at the end of the day to reflect on what you did, even if it feels like you only took one small step forward. Those small steps lead to big victories! Not a fan of journals? Try writing down just one sentence about your day, keeping track of what you did right at your job, or storing all of your completed to-do lists in one place. And don’t forget about the art of gratitude: Jotting down at least three things you’re grateful for each day can really help you stay motivated and keep everything in perspective.
Greek philosopher Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act- it is a habit.” This quote holds good, till date and continues to gain significance in our daily lives. Habits define our character and play a vital role in failure or success. Hence, it is imperative to develop some small daily habits that can have a very positive impact on our career.
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