Old folks have lots of nifty sayings, and they’re seldom shy about sharing them. 🧓 That’s probably because they’ve built up a fair amount of wisdom through the years and they’re trying to share it with younger whippersnappers to make their lives a bit easier. Sure, there are probably a few old wives tales in there that don’t hold any water – looking at you, “there are no stupid questions” – but there are probably more golden nuggets in there than younger folks might want to admit.
A lot of those nuggets deal with work, and that’s what we want to explore here. Mainly, how to ignore some of the terrible career advice we’ve been taught from youth while receiving participation trophies and not keeping score. Instead, let’s focus on the truth.
Here are Five Fast Facts on avoiding terrible career advice:
- 🤔 Feel Vs Do - Let’s start with a doozy. In the workplace, how you feel about a task or job really doesn’t matter. What matters is how you do the task or job. Want to be respected and climb the ladder? Do well at whatever you’re given, no matter how you feel about it.
- 🦄 Follow Your Dreams - Actually, don’t. It’s a terrible way to choose or pursue a career. Most dreams don’t pay the bills, and will end in devastating failure. The problem is our dreams are limited to our current experience, and especially early in our careers, we really don’t know a helluva lot. Have your dreams, sure, but don’t let them give you tunnel vision. Be willing to try new things and experiment. You just might find something even better than your childhood dream…and it might actually pay well, too! Consider a side gig or hobby for that dream.
- 🚫 You Can Do Anything - No, you can’t. I will never be an NFL quarterback, race car driver, or NBA star. It doesn’t matter how hard I dream it, it just ain’t happening. But there are plenty of other things I can do, and pretty well, too. Some of them are even worth some money to certain employers. Speaking of which…
- 💰 Know Your Worth - Don’t confuse personal worth with professional worth. As a person, you’re priceless, and there is literally only one of you in the entire history of the planet! Pretty awesome, right? But, when you’re new in a job – let alone a career – you don’t know anything. So, you’re not worth anything, professionally speaking. YET! Build your work knowledge, experience, and skill set, and your professional worth will grow along with it (as will your Paychecks). But it does not magically appear…you have to earn it.
- 🎤⬇️ In The Pudding - In the end, the proof is in the pudding. Can you perform at a high level when it counts most? Can you be relied on to get the job done on time and well? Can you take on any task, learn what you need to, and gain mastery over it? Are you so valuable that your boss – and maybe his or her boss, too – simply cannot get by without you? In the workplace, your value is not on how you feel, it’s about what you do. Prove you’re someone worth listening to and respecting, and it’ll happen.
🔥Bottom line: If you develop the skills, attitudes, and habits to always be learning and growing, you’ll find your way no matter what. There aren’t any participation trophies in the real world, but there are plenty of real ones to be had. Go get yours.
What’s the worst career advice you’ve ever heard?
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