Key Messages
Unleashing The Joy Of Career Growth: How To Find Your Zest At Work
Stretching your career in the ways you want is often not easy, and many end up feeling dispirited about their work-life.
But don’t let this stop you from finding creative solutions and actively looking for tasks that pique your interest.
You can also interact with colleagues and other professionals to open up new opportunities.
Grow your career by staying open and motivated.
Find ways to diversify your options such as taking on part-time gigs or consulting roles outside of your day job.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and break through plateaus – it could lead to a career breakthrough!
And if there are setbacks, brush them off and move forward with renewed vigor – learn from the experience, but never give up on improving yourself professionally!
Staying At The Top Of Your Professional Game: Three Stretch Imperatives
If you want to constantly improve your professional life and be successful, there are three important things that you need to keep in mind.
First, always remember that you are in control of your career.
Nobody else can decide your future for you – if something isn’t working out, don’t just sit around feeling sorry for yourself!
Take control and find another job that better suits your skillset and interests.
Second, make sure you’re keeping your options open and broadening your horizons.
Don’t limit what you can do by only focusing on one area – keep looking at new opportunities and sign up for courses or classes to learn additional skills if needed.
That way, you won’t find yourself stuck in a job that’s not right for you.
Finally, don’t forget to set goals!
These can be related to work or personal projects; the key is to make them realistic yet challenging enough so that they will help motivate you even during tough times.
Staying on top of these three stretching imperatives – holding onto control, keeping options open and setting goals – will ensure that you stay ahead in the professional world.
How Openness And Self-Reflection Help Employees Advance Professionally
No matter what kind of job you have, it is essential to remain open to learning and taking feedback on the job.
Too often we can get stuck in a career rut if we don’t pay attention to our own performance and accept constructive criticism.
For example, Jonah needed to improve but had no time for training.
He took matters into his own hands and conducted a self-assessment which yielded positive results: shorter lectures with more practical exercises allowed his students to develop their skills better, eventually leading him to become a school principal.
Chris was another good example of the importance of staying open.
Despite difficulties connecting with his trainees, he remained open and receptive to the feedback he received from his boss.
Eventually Chris realized that he wasn’t allowing enough time for his trainees to explain their ideas before criticizing them.
By being open and accepting the feedback offered, Chris was able to learn that being a leader is not solely about oneself – it’s also about working together as part of a team.
When it comes down to it, being open helps us reach our fullest potential on the job and beyond!
Maximizing Your Career Options Through Network Building And Adding Experiences
Networking and gaining new experiences is key when it comes to job opportunities.
We see this perfectly illustrated in the story of Zach and Alexandra from the book “Stretch.”
Zack started off his career without properly developing a social life or expanding his contact list, leaving him with a lack of clients for his company.
Luckily, he had one good personal contact – his Dad – who recognized Zack’s problem right away and explained the importance of having good contacts in order to boost sales.
After focusing on building his network and sharpening up on his social skills, Zack’s company began to thrive.
Alexandra also realized how important networking and gaining different experiences could be when she decided to branch out after earning her graduate degree in international relations.
She made contact with people within Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, which eventually opened up a great opportunity for her to work as an international development manager at the organization.
Ultimately, both stories show how powerful networking and gaining new experiences can be when it comes to exploring potential job options and establishing a strong resume that shows off your professional capabilities!
Three Ounces Of Advice: Pounce, Trounce And Announce To Turn Setbacks Into New Possibilities
No matter how low your career hits the bottom, it doesn’t have to be the end.
With the right frame of mind and attitude, you can turn a career setback into an opportunity for renewal and growth.
Take Jill Abramson for example.
After she was run over by a truck in New York City, she did not give up on her goals; in fact, she used this as an opportunity to learn how to walk again and eventually became the first female executive director of the New York Times!
To help you move forward from a tough situation, here are 3 words of advice: Pounce, Trounce and Announce.
First of all, don’t be afraid to take risks and stay curious; secondly, don’t stop practicing and developing your skills no matter how many times you fail; thirdly, share your goals with others so they can keep you focused on achieving them.
In short – use career setbacks to bounce forward, and don’t lose sight of your goals!
Being Prepared For The Future Workplace Requires Sharp Technical And Emotional Skills
No matter where you are in your career right now, there’s one thing that is certain—your tasks and responsibilities will change as the future progresses.
In order to stay competitive in the workplace and help employers turn visions into a reality, it’s important to possess both technical and non-technical skills.
Technical skills aside, emotional intelligence plays an essential role in preparing you for any changes ahead.
Lady Gaga recognized this, launching the Born This Way Foundation in 2012 to promote emotional intelligence and kindness among schools, so her message is clear: investing in yourself emotionally is just as important as any other skill you acquire.
Emotional intelligence gives you the ability to accurately gauge the emotions of those around you, making it easier for you to explain how your personality can compliment your technical abilities—making you an indispensable part of any team or organization.
Ultimately, our future workplaces are becoming more flexible while also expecting us to stay up-to-date on our skills; something universities like Georgia Tech have recognized by creating accessible master’s degree programs when needed.
So if you want to be prepared for whatever lies ahead; continue building on both your technical and non-technical skills by increasing your emotional intelligence too—you never know what tomorrow may bring!
Wrap Up
The overall message that the book Stretch aims to impart is that staying competitive in a changing world means embracing constant learning.
This can be done by staying current, observing changes happening around you, collecting contacts and experiences, and furthering your education through actions like becoming helpful instead of doleful.
Through this approach, you can stay ahead of the curve and put yourself in a good position no matter what lies ahead.
