Most of us have a career that has spanned many years, perhaps even decades. What we do on a daily basis has become routine. That can be a positive because after many years you figure out what to do without having to give it much thought. Unfortunately, this great strength is also a great weakness.
When you stop having to use critical thinking, you stop growing. When you’re not growing, you’re limiting your potential. It’s surprising just how many business professionals settle into a successful routine and become complacent. They think to themselves, “if I’m already making a lot of money, why should I change what I’m doing?” These professionals are applying the old cliché, “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” That’s unfortunate. At some point, this attitude will cause their business to decline.
It’s important for you both personally and professionally to avoid limiting your potential. Rather than resting on your laurels, you should be asking yourself every day, “what’s my next step?“ Holding yourself accountable by asking yourself this question daily, will open doors and create opportunities you never even knew existed.
You may want to start the growth process by asking yourself a few questions to determine what you really want out of your career.
- What has been my greatest achievement so far in business?
- What’s the most important goal I want to achieve before I retire?
The good news is that if you’re not happy with the answer to the first question, you still have plenty of time to accomplish what you see as your most important goal. Don’t forget to put your responses in writing. If they’re not in writing, you’ll end up continuing to live in a state of denial and are likely to suffer the consequences associated with mediocrity.
Don’t settle for being half the person you could be, apply this approach today!