A warm welcome into my 4th instalment of the A to Z of career success series where we have now moved onto the letter D.

Discovery 
 
Research suggests that we have a poor understanding of what will ultimately make us happy in our careers. When we are making decisions about our work, we rarely seek to understand ourselves. In fact, we tend to look outside of ourselves.
Discovery of who we are, what we are capable of, where we want to be, and how we want to spend our career days is crucial.
 
Action

Dwell in the space of discovery and think about:

•    What’s important to you in work and life?
•    What interests you? What are you passionate about?
•    What are your strengths?
•    What skills do you like using?
•    What motivates you?


Decisiveness
 
We tend to link decisiveness with competence. When people around us act decisively, we are more likely to view them as reliable, experienced and trustworthy.
 
For this reason, decisiveness helps to build credibility because of what it signals about the decision-maker.
 
The good news is that decision making is a skill that can be developed.
 
Action

Build your decision-making muscle by starting small with inconsequential decisions.
Making a habit of being decisive in lower-level choices will make it easier to deal with the more significant issues.


Direction 

Is your career heading in the right direction? Most people focus on their next career step with a sense of obligation rather than seeking to do work that would make them happy.
 
Another driver in career decision making can be meeting the expectations of those around you.
 
So, how can you redirect your career?
 
Action
 
The first thing to understand is that you have choices and that you can decide on the direction of your career.
 
Start to recognise what you enjoy doing and what makes you happy. If you could do anything, what would you want to do?
 
Stay alive to the idea that redirecting your career path may make your life choices even better.

 
Dealing with Adversity
 
Many people fear failure in their careers. This is somewhat understandable. However, it is essential to remember that the road to a successful career is often littered with adversity. Setbacks, disappointments, failure, and rejection are to be expected.

Knowing this is helpful because we can prepare and be far better equipped to handle whatever comes our way.

Also, adversity doesn't have to be accompanied by negative experiences. Quite often, adversity and the challenge you experience can be used to strengthen and advance your career.
 
"It's your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life's story will develop." ― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Action

Recognise that failure is a normal part of moving forward
Learn from each mistake
Maintaining a positive attitude
Taking new risks
Persevere

I hope you find these tips helpful and wish you happiness and good health always. Drop me a note and let me know how you are getting on. Please also forward this email to anybody that you think might be interested in the content.

Kind Regards

Mark

Mark Crossfield
Bravo Coaching