Karerin Mo, Bebe!

Career success comes from passionate pursuit of value creation. This means that  the more  people see the value you create for them or the organization, the more that they will want you and the more they will be willing give more to have you.

But how many of us are in the business of offering value? Not all is the kindest answer I can give. Many of us are in the business of filling a vacancy, doing whatever is minimally required to keep the job. There are several reasons why we do that. See if any of these describes you:

1. The job sucks, you don't like it but it puts food on the table. So, even if work feels like pushing a rope, and you have to drag your sorry self to work everyday, you do it.
2. You're half and half. You don't have a sense of direction so you don't know how to feel about this job. There are days you like it, then there are times when you hate it.
3. The environment does not encourage pursuit of excellence.  Why be great at what you do when you see mediocrity walking around disguised as people, right?
4. You're not paid well enough to give this job your best. Your argument is "they get what they pay for, if they want more, they should pay more." sounds like a pretty good argument right? I used to subscribe to that too.

Here's the thing; in our journey towards success, just like in any journey, we can't choose where to start. The starting point is always where we currently are.  Whether the situation is on the edge of a cliff or in the middle of a fertile ground, that's where we are and that's where we start. What we can choose is the path to take towards success and the pace. The sooner we determine these two, the better for us. Want to take the road less traveled or the  beaten path, it's all up to you. What I know is this. If you choose your own best path and the pace by which you will traverse it, the more deliberate every step will be.

People who know where they are going, devise plans to get from the un-ideal place to their desired desitination. Haven't we heard of people who used to be janitors, messengers, clerk or plain housewives who moved from where they were to where they want to be successfully? The only difference between them and us ordinary mortals is their dogged determination despite of, not because of their situations.

So let's look at our four reasons not to give our best in creating value and agree on how we can make a turn around.

You hate your job? Find a way out of it. There's always a way. Have a sense of direction, draw a road map. If you see mediocrity all around you, see it as an easy opportunity to stand out. If you feel that you are not being given enough to give it your best, don't do it for them, do it for yourself, for your future. Everyday and every opportunity to create value is a step towards success.  Outstanding people are easy to spot. If they are unwilling or incapable of paying you what you richly deserve, it will be just a matter of time when someone else will. Let that be your motivation.

Kareer kung kareer!