Career advice.

Get Traction in Your Career
by Deborah Brown-Volkman

Not moving ahead in your career? Is it because the right opportunities have not come your way? Or, do you know deep down that you're not taking the necessary steps to move your career forward?

There are no accidents when it comes to career achievement.  If you work towards your career goals on a consistent basis, you will reach them. Conversely, if you don't work on your goals, of just "here and there", you probably won't reach them.

So, what's going on? Why don't you have traction? Here are five common traction killers:

1.  You Are Afraid.

Fear is normal.  Who isn't afraid when faced with uncertainty?

Maybe you are sure about what you want.  Or, maybe you have no idea. But either way, what are you going to do? Let fear win? Where will that get you? If you let it, fear will kill your creativity and stop your momentum.  You will not wake up one day and be magically unafraid.  You get over fear when you face it and you take steps forward. That's when you get to see that what you fear is not as bad as you think it is.

Solution: Move forward despite your fears.

2.  You Don't Think Your Efforts Will Make A Difference

Thus, you want a guarantee.  You want to know 100% upfront that if you go for your goal, it will come out exactly the way you want. Guess what? You will not get that promise. Maybe the road you think you are supposed to take will shift as you take it.  This means you are headed in the true direction; where you are supposed to go. The only thing you get upfront is a feeling in your gut.  If it feels right, that's the direction to follow.  If it feels wrong run the other way Then, keep looking for something that will inspire you.

Solution: Take a chance on your future.

3.  You Don't Believe You Can Reach Your Goal

If you don't believe it, who will? Why can't you reach your goal? You probably have a long list with reasons why you cannot.  You made up a failure list, so now create a success list.  Write down you you are great at what you do. Detail your accomplishments. Look at what you have written every day. You may not believe it today, but if you keep looking, you will believe it tomorrow.

Solution: Believe in yourself and your ability to reach your goals.

4.  You Don't Have a Plan

Without a destination and a map to get there, you have nowhere to go.  It's like making a dish you've never made before without a recipe. How do you think the food will taste? Most people wait for things to happen in their careers.  If this is your strategy, you will be waiting for a long time. If you want something in your career to take place, it will not happen without focused effort and planning. Sit down and decide what you want. Be clear and specific. Then, list the steps that will get you there.  Some steps will be obvious, and others you will have to research. Map out specific times in your calendar for research as well as implementation of your plan. You don't have to do everything in a week.  If you are working consistently over time, you can get a lot accomplished.

Solution: Create a written plan.

5.  You Don't Have Someone To Talk To

We are a society of lone rangers.  We believe we should be able to handle every challenge in our careers by ourselves. Where is it written that you have to tackle your career alone? Life is about reaching out to other people. You need others to give you a new perspective and an outside view. Without that, your worries and concerns will take over.  Let others help you.  Your journey will be much shorter if you.

Solution: Talk to someone about your goals and ask for their assistance.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live -- it might as well be a life you love!