Unlock your career success. Here are strategies for dealing with fear, effective collaboration, and stimulation … [+]
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking person in a company. They are ultimately responsible for making important corporate decisions. The CEO drives growth, increases profitability and handles high-level strategic decisions. Most of the workforce will never become a CEO of a company or even make it to the C-suite. But anyone can be the CEO of their own career.
Emily Panek, founder of Optivity Nowbelieves that if you have a specific goal and channel all your energy, determination and every ounce of effort towards achieving your goal, you will succeed.
Being a CEO means you take responsibility for the results of your choices. And Science has proven that taking responsibility reduces fear, anxiety and stress. The amygdala is the part of your brain that processes fear. Research shows that when you blame instead of taking responsibility, your body physically goes into fight-or-flight mode — essentially, your self-image is under attack and it’s your job to protect it. Blame and praise are processed in different areas of the brain. Blame comes from the emotional side and praise comes from the logical side of the brain. The result is that we believe that good things happen by accident and bad things happen on purpose.
When you’re not in charge of your career path, your career will continue to evolve… you’re just not in charge of the outcome.
Recognize that it is a choice. At any time you can be your own CEO. That’s exactly what Panek did. Here, she shares tips on how to take charge of your career:
1. Get over the habit of procrastination.
Most of the time, we are paralyzed by fear: What if…. And it’s not just the fear of failure. It can be the fear of making the wrong decision, the fear of missing out (FOMO), even the fear of success. The fear of success it prevents you from taking risks because you fear what comes with success once you achieve it.
Regardless, fear often creates a habit not acting.
Panek says, “You’re going to make mistakes, but it’s better than nothing.” He has found that acting – persistence – is having the courage to face failure along the way.
One way to reduce your fear is to improve your specialist knowledge. Panek calls this more than what you’ve learned. “It’s an art, an art that you operate on the vast canvas of your career.” The way you do things is entirely yours. It’s your secret sauce.
2. Learn to cooperate.
Collaboration is working with others to achieve a common goal. Your career is your own, but great things can only come from working with others. “No one person has all the skills, knowledge or experience,” says Panek. Cooperation it leads to new ideas, accountability, innovative solutions, effective problem solving and improved relationships. It’s about building a community of like-minded people who have your back.
Your career will take many twists and turns. As you hone your craft, whether you’re an engineer, a copywriter, or a doctor, the opportunities that open up are only as strong as your network — the people you regularly work with. Research shows it 79% of Americans believe that networking is vital in their professional development.
3. You exude confidence.
Panek has this to say about confidence: Embrace each day confident that you’ve given it your all. All you can do is your best. Ideas transform into reality when they are fused with relentless intent, relentless persistence, and a burning passion to transform them into tangible achievements. Believe this for yourself.
Having confidence in yourself is part of a successful career. The people who have it you earn $28,000 more per year from those who lack self-confidence. Here are some tips to boost your confidence:
- Dexterity. Take an online course or in-person seminar to bridge the gaps in your experience. Earn a skill badge on LinkedIn.
- Get out of your comfort zone. Introduce yourself to someone new. Try something new. Or just change up your normal routine.
- Check off an item on your to-do list. It’s amazing how we talk to ourselves, especially when we don’t live up to our own standards. Congratulate yourself for checking something off your to-do list.
Panek says, “Empower yourself as the architect of your destiny.”
The CEO embodies not just a corporate title, but a mindset — an attitude of ownership and responsibility. Becoming a CEO of your career requires focused determination and an unwavering commitment to personal growth, but it is worth it and you should want that success for yourself, your business, your colleagues and/or your career.
