First things first, you must make the decision and have the motivation to grow your career on your own time. Growing your career cannot come from someone forcing you. It has to be a personal choice, otherwise, you most likely will not give it your all. If it is your choice, you will be receptive to new information and open to new opportunities. Being receptive to new information and moving outside of your comfort zone is what fuels growth.
Growth Mindset & Curiosity
In order to progress in your career, you must have a “growth mindset.” This means you have to believe you have what it takes to improve and learn new information. If you are ready to grow your career, you have already committed to putting in the time and work to accomplish your goals. A must-have trait is curiosity. If you have the curiosity to grow your career and knowledge, more opportunities will be available. This will allow you to go outside your comfort zone and try new things. By embracing curiosity, moving outside your comfort zone and saying yes to new challenges, you will have the chance to learn new skills. Not only will curiosity help you grow, but it can also help you become more positive and gain new connections along the way!
Being Curious Helps
As we mentioned, curiosity is needed to help grow your career but can also help you navigate through the world. Be curious and examine how your actions impact others. For example, ask yourself, “What do people think when I do XYZ”? Consider being open to learning about the effects you have on others - are they positive or negative? Being open to learning how you affect others will help you gain insights about yourself and show where you can develop your behavior. Being aware of yourself and others is connected to your growth.
Curiosity Leads to Growth
Embracing a curious mindset can help push past the fear of the unknown, failure and even success. Curiosity will also help you avoid getting stuck in a rut. If you pursue curiosity by learning new things and staying open to the possibilities each day brings, boredom will be difficult to find. The best thing about pursuing curiosity throughout life is that you will become a lifelong learner. Daily learning is what personal and professional growth is all about!
This tip was inspired by this piece on Forbes.