Have a fulfilling career

There is nobody who does not aspire to be successful – both in life and career. And why not? Nearly one-third of the major part of our life is spent devoted to work and career.

The pertinent question, therefore, is “Why your career shouldn’t be rewarding and gratifying?” Of course, it should be and you can make it so. The following tips will be of use:

· Your career selection has to be prudent & independent: Your career could well span three decades and even more. Prior to any decision about taking up a career, you need to ask yourself if you will be happy doing what it entails for the ensuing several years. You cannot embark on a career and repent later wishing that you could have exercised another option. There will be several people who will tend to speak about different growth prospects in a particular career. Often they will tell you that the money that generate will compensate for all the detestation that you may develop for it. Well, there is no connection between income and job contentment at all. Remember that your career choice is an exclusive decision by you because anything that happens subsequently will impact your life. 

· Gauge your success & its meaning: You need to know well what success means for you. Different people have different perceptions about success and the factors could well be remuneration, acknowledgement, recognition, work-life balance and reputation, to name just a few. And hence, nobody else can define it for you. Your satisfaction vis-à-vis your career is contingent on how best you are able to connect it with how successfully you have accomplished your own definition.

· Seek & acknowledge assistance: It is a fallacy when people believe and say that they know everything. There are always people who are better than you in terms of knowledge and experience. To be able to access knowledge and experience that you do not have, it is essential that you have people other than your colleagues in your network. And when somebody does help you out in any manner whatsoever, you must express your gratefulness for it. Remember that the time spared for you for the process could be small in your perception, but highly valuable for him. Therefore, it is necessary that you convey that the assistance rendered was indeed great and consequential. And if at all, you have an opportunity to reciprocate, you must do so willingly.

· Have courage to own your faults & slipups: There is nobody in this world who does not err and everybody strives to not commit them. But if they have to occur, they will and nothing can be done about them. You cannot escape from them and screen yourself; that is the vilest thing that you would be doing. You must have courage to own up your mistakes, take appropriate action to reduce their adverse consequences and take all precautions to preclude their recurrence. Doing so will aid in re-establishing your name and repute.

· Be your own spur & stimulus: You need to cheer and applaud yourself. It is essential that you catalogue all your achievements and upbeat qualities; and feel great about them. While people may commend you, but if you cogitate over your own accomplishments, you will be inspired to work hard and attain much more. Occasionally, you may feel that you are not as great as you think, but you should not take it seriously. There will be many others who will try to let you down. So when you blunder, take actions to prevent its recurrence, including those related to self-improvement.

· Always remain upbeat: Despite all the caution you may have exercised while selecting your career, sometimes down the line, you will be disenchanted. You must allow yourself to discover fresh alternatives. With a positive attitude, you will be able to resolve problems and difficult situations. The point to note is that under no circumstances, you should allow yourself to be subdued by disillusionment. An outlook that smacks of unconstructiveness, pessimism and unhelpfulness will drain out everybody’s vim and verve, including yours.

· Keep your ears more open than your mouth: We talk very frequently of communication skills, but do not highlight the importance of their important constituent – listening skills. Listening helps you in gaining on every front. You understand the viewpoints of others and hence building bonds is facilitated. If you listen well to others, you will not miss out on vital points being made. Remember that God gave us two ears and one mouth; and hence we ought to speak less and listen more.

Making your career rewarding and satisfying is contingent on your commitment – a resolution to always excel, have mutual confidence and total determination to face all odds. It is your attitude and not aptitude that will determine your altitude. Therefore, you have to be more willing to take risks and capitalize on opportunities to experience the highest index of a satisfying and gratifying career.

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