How do you measure success? Looking back at 2019.
A new role. Your department’s sales figures rising. Taking the leap to start your own business. An industry award. Or perhaps just hanging on in there. Getting to the end of the year still sane.
There are lots of ways to measure career success. After all, we’re each motivated by different drivers.
Whatever your take on things, I think it’s really healthy at this time of year to step back, to check-in with yourself and reflect on the last twelve months.
That’s what I’ve been doing today. In assessing the last 12 months, here are my own three metrics for career success and the benefits they bring:
Did I try something new? Trying new things punches right through that comfort zone and makes you feel alive. It goes hand in hand with being curious, keeps you moving & growing and gets you stretching yourself. Isn’t it a good feeling when you prove to yourself, yes, you pulled off something completely new? This year I added lots of new stuff into my project portfolio. I launched my Ten Sparks To Ignite Your Day At Work booklet; ran a brand new workshop for The Do Lectures; started a new relationship running workshops for General Assembly; hosted a series of events with authors; ran a strategy day for a bank. Was all that easy? No. Did it stretch me? Yes. Did I pull it all off? Yes!
Did I create space for the things that really matter? This is an important one. Many of us don’t prioritise the things that are sacred to us. Walking the kids to school. Starting the day with yoga or a swim. Going for a lunchtime walk. And if we’re not carving out time or space in our working life for these things, we’re missing a trick. In essence, it’s just some really simple fixes to make sure we do stuff that nourishes and restores us. For me, it’s easy stuff like wandering around the city, paying attention to where I work best, drinking good coffee, taking the dog for a walk and going for a swim (like that time in Bavaria, when I plunged into a heavenly lake instead of checking emails). It’s not simply a nice to have - it’s essential for good mental health, overall well-being and even productivity. When I feel good, then I do good work. So a big hell yeah to this, and to doing more of the same in 2020.
Did I make an impact? Leadership goes hand-in-hand with inspiring people - it’s all about making an impact. I’m always keen to hear feedback from clients and workshop attendees. Getting invoices paid is good but hearing that a workshop or coaching session opened someone’s eyes to a new path or made a positive difference to people’s lives - nothing beats it.
What about you? What does success look like for you? What are your metrics for success? I’d love to know, so I can add them to my collection of “the stuff that matters”, and helps us all live more fruitful and enjoyable work lives.
