Trigger a great career for yourself

Have you ever felt that your happiness level is so high that you simply move ahead unimpeded. Imagine such a situation in your work on a daily basis and see how positive your career will turn out to be.

How do you actually give a boost to your passion?  Some tips to let you feel and see the sights of your zeal as also help you identify ways and means that could possibly be introduces in your life are outlined below:

· Introspect: You ought to do some serious contemplation before taking any step forward in quest of a career that fascinates you. You should make a note of each and everything in your life that gave you pleasure - be they related to home, school, college, work and companionship. Thereafter, pick up any point from among them and analyse different facets that make you happy. In this way, you would be able to pinpoint all the features of your passion and ardour.

· Ideate: You should think and come up with ideas that you could integrate in your life. Whatever comes to your mind should be made a note of, including queries that you may have.  You should discuss things out with your friends so that you have an imaginative approach to all issues. It is essential that you guard against any move to be unduly cautious. Remember that a small spark can actuate an explosion!

· Investigate: It is necessary that you should have an open mind and look into as many aspects that ignite you. It will be appropriate if you associate yourself with people who also feel likewise; telling them that you need their assistance will help. If you do this as a matter of routine, you will get to receive unbelievable proposals and also establish connections with many eminent people.   

· Strive: Most people believe that material accomplishments alone can be regarded as accomplishments. Ironically, such dispositions boost satisfaction alright, but it needs to be understood that if you fail to achieve anything that you are passionate about ab initio, it should not be taken as a failure. On the contrary, you need to consider everything in an all-inclusive manner from a long-term standpoint and leave no stone unturned till such time you attain whatever you have been seeking.   

· Appreciate: There could be several issues that could be viewed as hurdles, some real and some perceived. You will have to look within to discern what precisely is retarding you. In most cases, the causative factors will be plain dismay, an absence of self-assuredness or just simple lethargy.  The possible of some negative influence holding your advancement cannot be ruled out. But remember that if you get to know what bugs you, half your battle has already been won.  

· Withstand: Everybody has some bad experience and people were to live on them alone, they would never progress. You ought to be ever willing to play with uncertainty, learn from mistakes that make and accordingly think of new ideas to keep your zeal alive. It is essential that you do not lose sight of your goals and keep your fervour always pitched high.

· Plan: The manner in which you intend to let your ardour come alive should be deliberated and outlined well in advance; it is essential that such outlines are steady and workable. Remember that the only person who knows how best you can acquit yourself is you. The manner in which you launch your efforts will manifest the nature of your contemplations and thus facilitate arrival of cogent methodology and approach, including actions required to be initiated when things can be bad.  

· Persist: Whatever you want to unfold, unburden yourself of it. Assure yourself that nothing can pose any hurdle in any of your endeavours. It is advised that you display your intent on a card and display it at a prominent place so that you can see it. Doing so will remind you of your goals. You will realise that your feelings will intensify and your steadfastness become stronger than ever before.

· Network: Research conducted has shown that a majority of people who run after their dreams and are successful always enjoy encouragement and support from others. It is necessary that you have a network that is strong and supportive of your efforts. Relatives, friends and acquaintances can all serve to offer immense stimulation to you; and the network that you establish can prove very credible and reliable.  

The fact is that no time will ever be hundred per cent adequate or appropriate. There will always be occasions when things will invariably fall short of suitability or excellence. Therefore, why let time whiz past? Do something without ado so that you move in the direction where your passion wants you to be. The idea is to be always on the move so that you make the best use of opportunities that come your way.

Actuate your passions

At practically all workplaces, you will always find people at any workplace - seniors, colleagues and subordinates – invariably throwing smiles and exchanging greetings. However, more often than not, they will not make efforts to find out if your career is on the correct course or not. This fact should be taken cognizance by you; the responsibility to oversee your career is yours and yours alone.  

There was this young man Gaurav. Though he was an electronic engineer by profession, he was not really contented at what he was doing and always wished that he could engage himself in a pursuit that gave a boost to his geniality. As an engineer, he thought that his work was a sort of an impediment to his true persona. Gaurav took a bold decision and resigned his job to set up a café. His amiability and geniality made him popular and his café started doing good business. Today, he has a chain of cafes.  

Take the case of Pranav. As a student, he was a dynamic personality and participated in various debates and elocution contests. After doing his graduation in commerce, he got selected for a managerial post at a bank. Within a span of four years, Pranav became a branch manager. But his inner voice told him that he ought to be in the teaching profession. He was promoted to the Chief Manager’s post and transferred. Not wanting to be relocated, Pranav resigned and joined a public speaking coaching institute as an instructor. Today he owns a reputed soft skills training institution specializing in soft skills.     

We also have the case of Monica, an MBA. She met with an accident and suffered disabilities. Due to health reasons, she could not attend her office regularly. So her employers hired somebody else. She accepted her fate, but was not willing to sit idle. Monica decided to join a voluntary organisation engaged in taking care of poor people who had disabilities.  

There are some remarkably common characteristics in the career graph that all high flyers. While their professional matters and leisure issues are generally not coupled, their work is more of an impairment rather than an architect for personal contentment. High-fliers, obviously do well professionally, but harbour other objectives, as a result of which, they suffer from a lack self-accomplishment. The outcome is that they cannot strike a good sense of balance between their fortes and participations. It has also been seen that they did little planning in the initial stages of their career, but after going through the rut woke up to the need to set their career on a correct course. This the time when they become aware of something going awry and when discontentment starts creeping in; the discontentment tends to grow because of organisational constraints.

If you look around, you will find several Gauravs, Pranavs and Monicas who want to be at the wheels of their lives and careers alike. Various provoking causes notwithstanding, mid-lifers like Gaurav, Pranav and Monica make plans and schemes to invigorate their personal lives. They undertake a journey of a thousand miles, afflicted with particularities and oddities. However, the truth is that they do not loosen their grip over their own movements and take bold decisions when it comes to bringing about changes to their life. In other words, giving wings to their passions is natural to them.

Do you also want to emulate Gaurav, Pranav and Monica? Do you also want to give wings to your passions?  To be able to do so, the onus of taking a bold decision in this context is yours alone. It should be appreciated that the process to re-kindle passion and zest is not a very difficult matter. If you follow the following techniques, your attainments will be remarkable:

· Recognition: The first phase is to discern what you think is important for you and based on which, you will have to decide on a line of action. This line of action should include what you aspire for in the immediate future. Once attained, they will be stepping stones to achieve your long-term objectives. Just as Gaurav who came to terms with the redundancy of the engineering profession as pertinent to him, corporate principles were applied to his café. Gaurav learnt the practicalities of managing an eatery and whenever required, he had experts to guide him. Evidently, his success was brought about by his meticulousness and sincerity of purpose.  

· Cataloguing: The second step is to make a note of your strengths and weaknesses on one side and penchants and curiosities on the other. Knowing how they complement one another is important together with an evaluation if such balancing out is appropriate or not. You may be undertaking an easy work, but that work per se may be rather boring. Pranav’s case highlights this issue. He spent quite some time imparting training to his friends and acquaintances free of cost. Over a period of time, he realized the complexities of the teaching profession and that training people in the art of public speaking was no cakewalk, but surely a career for which he naturally made out.  

· Boldness: You should know to play with risks while moving ahead with conviction to attain your objectives.  People do realize the importance of mid-term corrections, but yet are apprehensive to apply them. When Monica was relieved of her duties, she never sought ant sympathy from anybody, but promptly made use of her latest liberty. She introspected and adopted a daring position to successfully alter her ill-fated conditions into a new and innovative undertaking that helped her to bring in delight in her career and life.

You must understand that nobody will ever be genuinely concerned about knowing whether you are happy with your life and career. It is your responsibility to do so along with making efforts to know what you lack and finding out ways and means to fill gaps. If that be so, you are moving on your career journey all by yourself. And hence, the journey necessitates quick decision-making ability; needless to state, all your decisions have to be bold. But if you evade shouldering this responsibility, you will never be able to bring about the change that you seek in your life and career.

Think positive & be successful

Positive thinking is nothing but a mental outlook. After all, it is the mind that allows meditations, articulations and representations that are constructive; and which facilitate progress and advancement. Therefore, positive thinking can be said to be a psychological bearing that desires positive outcomes. Considering this, it will not be presumptuous to state that a positive mind alone that anticipates satisfaction and happiness; it also expects a successful close to all efforts and situations. That is why it is said that the mind gets whatever it wants.  

Positive thinking is not everybody’s ballgame. Some people may consider this subject as of no value and some may even jeer at others who subscribe to positive thinking. The latter category also does not make full use of their positive approach to attain favourable results. However, in recent times, this subject has gained significance, as is evident from innumerable   books available in the market on the issue.

'Think positive' is not an uncommon advice for those who are unduly uneasy or distressed. Nobody attaches much importance such counselling because the actual import is missed out by them. The foregoing notwithstanding, the two illustrations given in the succeeding paragraphs prove that positive thinking is a boon.

There was this young man Sandeep. He had been a very bright student all along, but for some reason or the other, good jobs have been eluding him. Either he could not pass the qualifying examinations or failed in the interviews. After a couple of failures, Sandeep became frustrated and dejected. He became slothful and developed a negative attitude towards everybody and everything; he did not spare even himself. A well-wisher persuaded him to apply for a job and he received a call letter for an interview. But he felt that he will never be selected. On the day of the interview, he got up from bed rather and then realized that he did not have appropriate clothes for the interview. He was in great haste and left home shabbily dressed and without having his breakfast. When he reached the venue, he remembered that he had left all his documents at home. He was obviously put off and hence did not fare well at all in the interview.

Now take the case of Swati. She too was an aspirant for the same job, but her line of action was different. She was self-confident and a week before the interview started thinking of a positive outcome. Swati prepared herself well and fancied coming out of the hall with an appointment letter. With such an outlook, she went for the interview, smartly dressed and fresh because the night before she retired to bed early. Well in time at the place designated for the interview, Swati impressed everybody.  

Both Sandeep and Swati possessed similar qualifications. But it was Swati who bagged the appointment letter. Can we draw any lessons from these two examples? Of course yes!

It should be understood that hopefulness is an outcome from a positive attitude. It is the brain that sets the imagination process kicking, followed by the eyes that then start visualising things. The ears of course then hears only what you are seeking. When such a development occurs, the entire persona of an individual gets strengthened and invigorated; and feelings of happiness thus get radiated and in the process, one’s health and well-being also improves.  A distinctive self-confidence comes to the fore in each and every action of an individual.

Positive and negative thinking are both transmittable. When you talk and interact with any person, it goes without saying that both individuals gets impacted in some form or the other. This is an involuntary development and takes place on an intuitive plane through the medium of behaviour, feelings and body language. You are able to gauge the attributes of the other person and get affected in the bargain. That is precisely why people want to be in positive company. It is only positive people who get attracted to positive people. Likewise, negative people are shunned and disrespected.  

Negative beliefs, expressions and dispositions throw up depressing and pessimistic radiations that pollute actions and moods of others. In order to move towards positivity, a lot of intimate efforts and preparation are inescapable. But the important issue is that outlooks, beliefs cannot be changed at the drop of hat.  Some tips in this context are:

· Be well informed about all issues affecting you, including accruing advantages and disadvantages.

· Do not be unnecessarily swayed by the view of others.  

· Visualize only positive circumstances.  

· Make your conversations worthy by not using unconstructive expressions.  

· Remain cheerful and in good mood.

· Do not fall prey to laziness and dejection.  

· If any negative thought afflicts you, take prompt action to throw it out.  

· Do not let your resolve take a beating.  

The vitality and power of thoughts influences your life. However, it is possible to render the entire process into a cognizant one.  Research conducted has proved that negativity alters your blood chemistry and gives rise to discontentment. The mantra for happiness and success thus ought to be ‘Think positive’.

Actual competition begins now

Board examinations over, your focus of attention would be shifting to competitive examinations for professional courses now.   There would be many boys and girls who would have also joined coaching classes. The entire process is a long drawn-out one with every member of the family being involved in some way or the other. There is no denying the fact that the pressure and momentum of competitive examinations would be at the zenith, but the big question is whether you have a study plan for them or not?

You had ample time at your disposal for your board examinations and hopefully you would have fared well in them. But entrance examinations for different professional colleges now scheduled, there has to be very judicious planning to crack them. With limited time available and extensive syllabus required to be covered, the necessity to have a good study plan to ensure good preparation needs no emphasis.  

Any study plan that you formulate must take into consideration your individual preferences. It will eventually serve as that crucial facilitator to attain your objectives. The plan so developed should thus be practical and sustainable. It should be made taking into account your requirements and also be in consonance with your 'to-do list'. This implies that the plan should cheer you on to study and prepare meaningfully well for the entrance examination. In other words, a study plan ought to be there specially and specifically for you. In case it is not so, you will not be able to make the learning process a fruitful experience. Therefore, though needless to state, the plan should be such that you are able to study and learn efficiently and without undergoing any strain or worry.

You need to first decide on the time that you ought to devote for preparation and the amount of effort that you will be able to put in and the time actually available to you. This can be done by identifying different books and study material that you need to have and study.  Once you know this information, you need to know their complexities and different impacting factors relevant today. You also need to be fully conversant with the examination methodology as also how they matter to you. It will not be out of place to set a mark of performance that you wish to attain.

Having done the above, you must catalogue books that you indeed will be studying and keeping in view the time available to you, your daily apportioning of time for study. It is essential that keep some cushion time at your disposal for revision. It could well happen that you run short of time; if that happens to be a possibility, then you should ensure that you cover the syllabus prior to the revision phase. In case this is not possible, then you must prioritise by identifying ‘should’, ‘could’ and ‘may’ portions of the study material. It all amounts to making a schedule that is workable and pragmatic; this will be possible if you have more than one study slots with the subjects or topics that you need to finish on a daily basis. It will be better if difficult subjects are studied towards the end. You must also make certain that the place or table where you is comfortable in all respects; and the study sessions not monotonous. Your preparation will be meaningless if you do not undergo an examination. This will help you to know how much you have assimilated and how much you have not. While learning by heart anything should be avoided at all costs, particularly when examinations are a day or two ahead.  

The crux of the matter is to comprehend the significance that the entrance examination you are preparing for holds out in your life. The preparation process should entail smaller, well-defined phases. Each of these phases should be systematically organized into fruitful study slots. Whatever is learnt in each phase should be utilized as a bonus and made to serve as an impelling factor. That is how you would be able to inch forward towards your cherished goal!

Professional adjustment at your workplace

    Understanding fully one’s duties at work is a dilemma by itself, particularly with new people around and a workplace yet to be discovered to your benefit. And the biggest problem at a new workplace is displaying appropriate tolerance and flexibility to facilitate taking orders and instructions from people who you do not know well. Meeting deadlines is another very challenging trial.

Present day workplaces are very extreme on outputs and equally heavy on work pressures. It is all a question of whether you perform or you are shown the door. Working in such an atmosphere is thus a challenge by itself, more so if you happen to have joined recently. But it is not all that difficult to adjust, as many people are apprehensive about. You can surely deal with new difficulties by displaying due drive and a flexible approach. Some tips on what you should be doing when you start working in a new organisation are:  

· Be conversant with your duties: You should make full efforts to get to know what you are required to do. This implies understanding your position, functions and duties; in short, your job conditions and obligations. As you gradually move ahead, you will realize that there are disparities between the role that you were initially explained and what you are actually required to perform. Under such circumstances, you should not get unnecessarily perturbed but resolve to work cheerfully. In case of any apprehensions, sitting and discussing across the table will help. The point that should never be lost sight of is that tasks that you may not be able to carry out should be graciously but forcefully declined.

· Harbour a flexible approach: Rigidity of mind will lead you nowhere. You have to be willing to accept truth, you have to be willing to work hard. You have to be motivated to go to practice with an open mind. You have to be willing to be criticized. Having an open mind implies being open to debate and argument. Your objective should be not only to put across what you feel about things but also to comprehend what others think. The good point of having an open mind is that it will leave a chance for other people to drop a valuable idea in it. Remember that a wise person changes his mind and a person who is reckless or imprudent, never does so. The crux of the subject is to also be open to deliberations and negotiations.

· Endure work-pressures: You may adopt any method to do your work but whether or not it is correct will largely be contingent on if you are successful or not. Corporate canons recognize end results more than the endeavour that goes in attaining them. Bosses and supervisors have a tendency to press-gang subordinates to complete assigned jobs in time and meet stipulated deadlines. Should you land in such a situation, make it a point to express candidly any reservation that you may have with regard to the cut-off date or time being imposed. In addition, you should not shy away from asking for the necessary wherewithal, including finances that are inescapable for completing any assignment.

· Observe what and how things are: No two workplaces are alike. Customs and traditions that make work culture vary from one place to the other; even ethics differ and show marked variations of standards. Therefore, it is both difficult and unnecessary to take a broad view of business cultures. You may have learnt several work philosophies and models, but being able to put them into operation is another matter. The best method is to watch your co-workers and settle down first rather than let go yourself with full steam from day one.

· Act after due deliberation: You should remember that you are a greenhorn and as a tenderfoot, you have to establish yourself and prove your worth before others start admiring you. Getting spotted and proving your true value is indeed very difficult; hence it is always desirable to take deliberate and calculated paces rather than big strides. Never ever attempt to hasten whatever you may be required to do. It is recommended that one should take his or her own time to be in the picture, at home and on top of things before any action. It is only then that you should think of harnessing your ideas. The crux of the matter is that you should be squarely thorough, systematically hardworking and tirelessly observant.

· Your immediate boss is important: You should be well aware of the pecking order of your new workplace. It is all the more important to know the likes and dislikes of your immediate boss. If you enjoy an affable equation with your boss, you will be able to give a free rein to your ingenuity and vision; the result will be that you will start getting pleasure in whatever you do. Your boss may suffer from some arrogance and condescension; hence it will take time for you to be able to establish such a relationship. The important point is not to forget the difference between professional and personal associations.

· Be aware of how much you matter: You should routinely endeavour to come to terms with the degree of influence you can exercise and the amount of weight you can throw around. There is no harm in seeking a word of advice from your immediate superior and be aware of the level of faith bestowed upon you. Being dynamic and taking initiative is good for your career and will be appreciated, but the person one-up should be kept in your loop. If you do not do so or if you exceed the bounds of dominance, you could land in severe dilemma.

You should not forget that all jobs call for a high degree of toil, presenting one’s best and meeting deadlines and maintaining cordial relationships. You should remain well-poised and harbour a professional outlook at all times. It is important that you ensure to keep your emotions at bay. It is only then that you will be able to function with sincerity and with efficiency.

Do you have faith in your career?

Most people refer to belief as something that is applicable and relevant to people who are up-and-coming and prosperous. If you question these effective people about what were various factors that contributed to their prosperity and success, they would perhaps attribute them to a positive attitude and enthusiastic avowals. On the other hand, people who struggle their way through or wrestle hard with issues in their life would ascribe such success of others to aspects like luck and their own scrimmages to deal with contentious matters. 

     The fact is that there is great truth in affirmations and contentions of successful people when they endorse their accomplishments and undertakings to positive thinking and sanguine pronouncements; indeed this is all the more valid when such avowals are done on a continual basis. In point of fact, it is the reverberation of assertions that helps them to turn into reality.  Perhaps being widely held in esteem and acclaim as also being well-to-do is a modest issue. You first believe and count on; and then you achieve. If this be so, don’t you think that this is worth following?
       An environment that transmits pessimism and unconstructiveness poses intense tests and trials to ruminate confidently. But in case you do not think positively, you will not achieve your objectives. A deleterious approach will serve to stop you from moving forward, besides creating doubt in your mind about your potential and capabilities. You can alter your mindset, if you so desire. The reverse of negative thinking is always positive thinking and hence, if you set your sights on your career objectives – something that you genuinely want accomplished – you will have to alter your outlook and mindset.
     The question therefore, is how do you suppose and trust yourself? Here are three unpretentious actions that you must indulge in:
· Elect to do so:  You must think that believing in your objectives is inescapable and that such convictions will be fruitful. If you do not, you will neither attain your objectives nor will they be rewarding. Sans any belief, your career will be devoid of all thrill and enchantment. If you seek to be enthusiastic, inspired and ardent about your career, your belief has to be central to such desire. If you harbour credence and trust, you will feel lightheaded and be assured that everything will transpire. You get impelled to move forward and have something to yearn for. It is your conviction that induces you to go to work and also drives you to refocus and progress in a commanding manner.
· Voice your career objectives:  In a sharp contrast to mental thinking, when you do loud thinking, the subject of your thoughts tends to be tangible. But most people are apprehensive to speak their objectives out loud, largely because they are uncertain of the end-results. No career comes with a security or warranty of success. You may have a gut feeling that things are satisfactory and moving in the correct direction; and then you pursue them with all the power at your command. Usually, if things appear correct, they indeed are correct. In the light of all this, you must be vociferous in talking about your objectives; doing so will be a satiating experience. Keeping a record of what you speak will be a step in the right direction, but you simply cannot evade talking loud about them. 
· Accomplish your objectives:  If you display steadfastness and commitment in your efforts, there is no doubt that you will attain them. And if you waver, your objectives will always be a pipedream. The essence is that you should believe that your objectives are achievable and having spoken about them loudly, you are all set to get down to work. Take one step followed by another; and carry on till you arrive at your journey's end which is your purpose. Does this appear to be an effortless affair? Undoubtedly, yes; but is there anything wrong if things are humble, uncomplicated or down-to-earth?
     Remember that to dream by night is to escape your life and to dream by day is to make it happen. It is only when you associate yourself with the silence within you that you will be able to get a hang of the troubles prevailing around you. Success will be within your reach only when you start reaching out for it.  You have to have belief if you intend chasing your dreams; if you do not have it in you, you will not be able to trail it; in other words, you will have to give up on your coveting.

Start afresh every year & maintain your resolve

Hitches and glitches in your career are a natural phenomenon. They do not signify the end of your career. You need to be optimistic and consider today something like a New Year’s Day when you make new resolutions and let bygones be bygones. This is more relevant to those who have not taken due interest in their careers so far.  When you start anything afresh, you make a new beginning so that you can derive the maximum from your career. The moment ought to be a Godsend to facilitate your move ahead with greater zeal.

If you lack adequate inspiration, you are unlikely to concentrate on new objectives that you intend setting. You may also not have many aspirations and attainments. In other words, you need to adopt new working methodologies or even a career change. The crux of the issue is that you need to assign fresh objectives and work hard and cheerfully for their attainment

How does one identify a fresh objective? You can do so by:

· Coax yourself to have a new goal: No objective is attainable without hard work. You ought to look for such traits in others who are forward-looking and forward-moving people. It is only then that such qualities would be imbibed. You surely would like to be branded as a person committed to one's work. If that be so, you need to introspect to discern the credibility of your goals and if you endorse them or not. And should any doubts be raised in the process, you must shift your focus elsewhere where you are mentally comfortable. You cannot assume your success in the absence of any of any objectives. And under such circumstances, any positive development that takes place will invariably be an outcome of your determination.’

· Adopt modest strategies: One needs to know for certain where one stands currently. Here there can be two situations, the first being not aware what should be the next step required to be taken to promote one's career. The other situation could well be a general cognizance of what is required to be done but no action has been initiated so far. Whatever be it, the situations are inconsequential, however the important point to note is that the time is now apt to start looking forward and jump into the fray. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, so they say. One should set out modestly, but with no holds barred. Small steps eventually are equal to a big leap. The fact of the matter is that gradual progress boosts self-confidence and serves as an impelling factor to traverse distances ahead. It is the regularity of the pace that matters rather than attempting to take one giant leap. The moral of the story in Aesop's famous "The hare and the tortoise" fable holds immense relevance.

· Plot your own roadmap: Success does not come without proper planning. Proper planning eradicates unwarranted slog. If you have a roadmap, you are well-prepared to take actions on emerging situations and discard objectives that are unachievable. The nature of your plan – detailed or perfunctory – is indicative of your interest in your career advancement. A workable plan entails two steps; the first being splitting objectives into smaller parts; and the second being cataloguing them and earmarking a time schedule for their attainment. You also need to spur yourself periodically so that you move forward is not retarded in any way.  

· Swot your targets every day: Failures are stepping stones to success and anybody who realizes this invariably wants a retry. And a New Year's Day affords this golden opportunity. Objectives, howsoever pragmatic or lofty, that are put in a cold storage are of no significance.  The ground actuality is that anything that is out of sight is out of mind; and this is equally applicable to career objectives if they are lost sight off. A regular perusal and monitoring of one's goals makes them an integral part of oneself and this serves as a big facilitator. Before one moves out for his or her daily work, the target intended to be achieved should be glanced without fail. By doing so, one's direction would be maintained. At the end of the day, the exercise should be repeated so that one's goals remain glued. By looking repeatedly at one's goals and pondering over them, they seem more practical than ever and eventually become attainable.

Remember that a cat has nine lives but you have only one. Therefore, it is pointless to live a life that is not to your liking. But it is next to impossible to have a turn of events that is to your liking. The initiative to deal with unfavourable situations has to come from you and you alone. And this can be done best if you do not brood over what has happened in the past and instead make a new beginning every year.   

Approve the career that you are in

Men and women, whether young and old, look for approval from others. More often than not, they always seek to experience only joyful feelings related to their preferences, choices and selection. And issues related to their career are no exception. In addition, they also seek recognition in some form or the other for all their efforts and endeavours; such recognition assures them that they are on a correct course. And most importantly, they also seek to make certain that their perspectives are understood and valued by all. The fact that they are appreciated and acknowledged instils in them a sense of some superiority that serves to impel them to perform well.

Approvals and endorsements tend to become thorny issues if you want them in quantities more than normal. And if you happen to not be in a rising mode, they have an impeding effect. Most people view approval and endorsement as a manifestation of being taken care of and being recognised. Therefore, you tend to feel relaxed and protected from within. Genuine endorsement originates from within you; the views that you subscribe to as pertinent to your sphere of activity and your goals serve as impelling factors. External endorsement no doubt affords acclaim, but internal endorsement offers you peace of mind and a feeling of calm, besides adding a new meaning to your life and a direction to keep moving on.

The question thus is how can you get to endorse your career? First and foremost, you need to identify aspects that help you derive job satisfaction. All such aspects should be made a note of. And then you need to carry out a self-evaluation and determine the following:

· Different responsibilities and assignments that you are keen to undertake.

· Type of working environment that you seek and colleagues that you like to function with.

· Place that you would like to be posted at.

· Salary package and perquisites that you think should be offered to you.

The intended aim of the above exercise is to get your thought processes out of your mind into the open for better consideration by you. You will thus be able to derive the best from them. But you should desist from doing any loud thinking when you are reducing your thoughts to writing. You should understand that everything that peps you up is locked up within you and that you need to set them free.  

You should also understand that you yourself should be accorded the top priority. If you pay heed to yourself, you will always be moving on the road that will offer you great career satisfaction. Whenever you recall such situations, you will realise that things turned out in your favour. And when you recall occasions when you did not, you will recall how much disillusionment has struck you.

When people advise you or give you suggestions, they do so based on their own perceptions. It is possible that their advices and suggestions are prompted by their own experiences, something that you may not have been subjected to. The foregoing notwithstanding, there is no harm in giving due thought to them, but the final authority to do things rests with you and you alone. If you act in such a manner, your career journey will indeed be a very satisfying one and you will take all challenges en route in the right spirit. 

If you keep thinking persistently think that people will misread and misinterpret you, they indeed will do so. You will thus most likely land yourself in difficult situations, given the fact that there will be no endorsement forthcoming from them for your actions launched to attain your objectives. You cannot and should not totally discount the viewpoints of others because if not in entirety, some part of what they tell you can stand you in good stead. But that does not mean that you will hold yourself back from taking initiative till such time others do not rally behind you. In case you fail to be dynamic and proactive, you will keep waiting for things to move.

A point to be noted is that your perceptions and visions are yours; and they can never be subscribed to by others in totality. Considering this, it will always be difficult in comprehending others. The need to be self-confident, self-assured and self-dependent needs no emphasis. You need to trust yourself because you only know yourself the best. Hence getting yourself to approve your actions calls for immense mettle and grit; and which help you to ward off all criticism. If you approve yourself and your career, you will never look down on yourself and nor will there a situation when others will do so. Your resolve and motivation will always be pitched at a high level.   

Remember that to the issue of your life, you are the only response and to the problems of that you face, you are the only way out. But you have to get out of your comfort zone and identify a new place in the boondocks of your sixth sense. And when that happens, you will discover something extraordinarily outstanding. And that something will be none other than you. 

Career management in today’s milieu

Current times are different vis-à-vis earlier years in that the competition is intense and puzzling. The templates in use yesterday may no longer apply today. There are grim uncertainties that one has to face and which, tend to make glum. And an utter absence of opportunities makes people feel dejected and frustrated. And there could be serious ramifications if one adopts a presumptuous approach to one’s carrier and acts by impulse. All career moves therefore, cannot be achieved without proper preparation and scheduling.

Today, the economic slowdown is nearly over, but its effects persist. This phenomenon makes some career paths difficult. As a consequence of the foregoing, career management has come about to be treated as very difficult. Resultantly, career management has ceased to be employer responsibility. Career management is viewed as a business partnership that keeps the employer and employee happy. If and when the association gets broken, the employee is left to fend for himself. When he looks for another job, it becomes his responsibility. The process can be very challenging and time-testing.

Though at the cost of reiteration, it is significant to state that current times lay increased responsibility on an individual to manage his or her career and the prospects that go with it. That calls for greater answerability and liability. The fact is that the very nature of employments and job profiles has changed; such alterations have been brought about by scientific advancements and a perception of the world having become a global village. There is no job that is retainable for life in the 21st century occupation panorama.

But one attribute has not changed. Careers, like some other life effects, are fluctuating, unpredictable and flexible. They have a demonstrated ability to alter themselves in consonance with individualistic conditions. Furthermore, all careers need to be periodically assessed to make certain that all schemes and objectives are in harmony with progress achieved in professional and private planes.

Current difficult times have sent appropriate signals to everybody that even the most forceful and healthy career arrangements are subject to upset. Therefore, it is inescapable to uphold and sustain one's viewpoint and outlook. Additionally, options to get on track in the eventuality of an interruption or interference also need to be identified in advance.

There would be many who would have had other burning concerns that perhaps relegated career management to a lower position. They would have not found it difficult to manage their careers because the focus of attention lay somewhere else. But those who were not passive in their approach and did not leave their career management to luck or others, stand in good stead today, particularly when the global economy has started witnessing an upsurge.

The writing on the wall is clear - never leave your career management to others; you will always face the hazards of being abandoned or being left out of the loop. With a plethora of activities taking place in the world, succumbing to bewilderment or desperation is natural. But sparing some time to perform a career appraisal can prove highly beneficial.

There are individual career objectives and ambitions on one side and private and job-related principles on the other. The need is to see whether both of them make parallel or not.

A career appraisal referred above would facilitate understanding what is functioning and what is not. How capable is one? What are the vulnerabilities affecting a person or his career? What are the avenues open? Are there any perils that may surface? The answers to these questions would differentiate the effective from the non-effective. In other words, one would be able to discern where one stands.

An example will make things clear. There could be talks doing rounds about impending organizational changes or retrenchment. Similarly, rumours on some people not being given a rise or promotion may also be floated. Issues like these can turn out to be extremely damaging to people, particularly when they are already going through distressing encounters in their place of work or lives.

But one need not be utterly disappointed. While reflecting on various courses available, one is able to let lose his imagination so that he can focus on pending matters instead deliberating on intangibles and possibilities. In the long run, this proves beneficial. It iis essential that the following matters be determined without fail:

· Career issues that are progressing as per schedule and those that are not.

· Deterrents and difficulties being faced in career advancement; and steps necessary to overcome them.

· Agencies that can help bring about successful career planning.

Procedures for management of one's career in the 21st century call for immense tenacity and resolve, largely on account of the ever changing workplace and career characteristics. Trade and venture versions are changing more often than ever before and hence employees are expected to exhibit increased flexibility and more accountability, if they seek better career management.  

Making sound career decisions

Decisions, whether sound or not are made by everybody some time or the other. And decisions with regard to career selection are no exception. It is essential that their importance and implications are understood together with the basis on which they should be arrived at and the reasons for their going wrong.

What does a decision for career selection mean? Every decision is required to be made within certain parameters and strictures. Such parameters are nothing but facts, options, standards and priorities that prevail at that particular time. Yet, there is a tendency to not accord due consideration to available facts and figures because acquiring such information is time-consuming. The restriction imposed by non-availability of adequate time is thus genuine. And if one does not make reasonable efforts, it is because there are far too many people involved in the decision-making loop, limited resources available and priorities that one accords to issues. But since decisions cannot be avoided, all uncertainties and ambiguities that exist prove to be the biggest roadblocks to decision making. In the light of the foregoing, when a decision is questioned or put to test, it is because it not being based on facts. The decisions are thus delayed or not made. And that is the very cause why insecurity and uncertainty comes up. Apprehensions thus persist in minds.  

What is the quantum of information that should form the basis of decision-making? A reasonable sound decision can be arrived at with a reasonable quantity of information. However, people have a tendency to overload themselves with information, thereby creating functional difficulties. Because you have to sift more information, the time taken to arrive at a decision will obviously be more and there is every possibility of some information being disregarded. And delayed decisions make them lose out on their worth. It should be understood that different individuals have capabilities to handle information differently. All information needs to be evaluated for its value and it is not necessary to evaluate it in the order of its receipt. Any failure to adhere to this tenet will lead to mental fatigue, which again will cause some information to be overlooked.

Why is decision-making important? If a person is required to urgently buy anything, there will be stipulations of choice, cost and availability. Under such circumstances, the endeavour will be to select the best item from amongst many that are available. The decision plan is essentially intended to select the best option from amongst different alternatives available at that juncture and place. Obviously, this quandary is a result of the non-availability of items of the same category, decision arrived at by the person selling them. So, herein lies the criticality of the decision-making process. And if that be so, it is also equally critical in the process of career selection and career advancement. Considering this, career decision-making needs to be very prudent. That is precisely why career aptitude tests are conducted so that an individual’s potential is identified. If this is not done, career advancement is likely to take a beating. There could be adverse effects on one’s health too.

Why do career decisions go wrong? There are three basic reasons that bring about wrong career decisions:

· Information deficiency: If adequate information or data is not available, selecting a correct career can turn out to be a stumbling block at the very outset itself. The world at large is relatively unknown to a majority of the youth who reside in small cities. A very distorted and prejudiced portrait of what is transpiring in the current era is available to them, as a result the character and coincident eminence of the career intended to be joined are never discerned by them. Unrealizable aspirations follow and eventually become a cause of torment.

· Unwillingness: There have been many instances when apt individuals could not continue in good jobs or lost out on offers because of a disposition of reluctance, disinclination or even aversion towards them. For example, it is a known fact that very few boys and girls prefer to work in field or in harsh conditions and cannot ever reconcile to the idea of doing so. Perks and remunerations hold out no meaning for them. This readiness deficit could well be inborn or stimulated.

· Absence of motivation: In a large number of cases, people have to be goaded to get work out of them, whether they are adept to do so or not being of no consequence. This inspiration or enthusiasm turns out to be a very intense component of career choice and development. People who are introverted and diffident invariably lose out on being motivated or taking lessons on it. They, more often than not are 'my horse also ran' types. The decision to select a particular career has to be necessarily well thought-out. It is out of question to even think of it without knowing what you are cut out for. If you are not aware of this crucial aspect, the future will be as uncertain and unstable as ever.

A career is something that you do not change at the drop of a hat. Deciding on what is the best option is thus a very important activity. Remember that it does not take much strength to do any work, but it requires great strength to decide on what work to do!