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7 Keys to Career and Life Success

By Marcia Zidle on July 12, 2011

keys to career and life success

What makes a great life and a great career?

Here’s what high performing professionals and managers have said during my seminars on The Career Edge.

Key #1: Life Comes at You Fast – Be Prepared, Plan and Anticipate

  • During change, don’t be an ostrich hiding your head in the sand. Be aware of what’s going on.
  • Be open to opportunities and even challenges. It can change your career trajectory.
  • At the same time, have focus – it provides clarity for what you want to accomplish.

Key #2: The Power of Attitude – We Can Change our Lives with Optimism

  • Be resilient. Challenges, disappointments, mistakes happen. The important things is to move on.
  • Stay away from negative people. If they’re not happy for themselves, they certainly can’t be happy for you.
  • Visualize success, talk success, believe in your success. Expect success to happen.
  • Thank the people who have made a difference in your life and career.

Key #3: NETWORK = Net WORTH

  • Increase your connections. Success is all about relationships – building,maintaining, leveraging.
  • By increasing your network, you build the number of people that can impact you and that you can help in return.
  • Make it easy for people to help you. Give them the tools they need to make connections and introductions for you.
  • Be happy for others, acknowledge their success, celebrate their achievements. They will remember.

Key #4: Feedback is a Gift – Information is Power

  • Be open and acceptable to both good feedback and constructive criticism.
  • Nobody takes the time to give feedback to someone they don’t like. They just walk away.
  • Then decide on how you are going to turn that feedback into positive behavior and skills.

Key #5: Politics is NOT a Dirty Word

  • It’s all about knowing your organization and how things get done.
  • Assess the situation and understand what’s important to decision makers.
  • Be realistic. There’ll be times when it’s better to compriomise and times when it’s important to take a stand.

Key #6: Do a Great Job Every Day

  • Know your strengths and use them in the most effective way you can.
  • Don’t stop learning – new ideas, new skills, new ways of doing things.
  • Make sure your work serves the larger goals of the organization.

Key #7: Remember, a Fulfilling Life Is a Journey Not Just a Destination

  • Take time to enjoy – stop and smell the roses!
  • Realize that you’re the only person who can lead your life – so don’t wait for others to take charge.
  • Know that people remember not what you say but how you made them feel. So make people feel good.

Career Success Tip:

Success is more than working hard, being busy and burning a lot of energy. It’s a laser focus on what matters. So examine all your “to-do”s and pick the ones that count the most – the ones that can make a big difference in your life and career.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

  • For more resources, see the Library topic Career Management.
  • Start with the  Career Success System.
  • Sign up for Career Power: 101 success tips.
  • Fast track your career. Be part of a Success Team.
  • Need a speaker? Get the Edge Keynotes-webinars-workshops.
  • Find career and leadership boosters in the Smart Moves Blog.
  • Copyright © 2011 Marcia Zidle career and leadership coach.
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Meet This Blog’s Host

Marcia Zidle, a certified career strategist and business coach, works with high potential, high impact executives, managers and professionals to advance their careers and grow their leadership capabilities.
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