Accomplishments can offer a source of energy and strength. But over time, a relentless drive to accomplish can lead us to ignore our or our loved ones’ needs, aggravate physical and mental health problems, or create a work-life imbalance. There are ways to build better habits now, in the early stages of your career.
- Do some self-reflection: Ponder when your pattern of overachievement began. How did you attain love and attention when you were young? Was it through high performance in school, sports, or your community?
- Challenge your assumptions: It’s human instinct to protect ourselves from our fears. But our fears are typically based on faulty assumptions. Left unexamined, these assumptions can keep us stuck. Starting with your most powerful assumption, conduct a simple, safe experiment to gather data and determine its validity.
- Redefine success and start with small steps: Write your definition of success by pushing away fear of judgment and really thinking about what success means to you. What shifts do you need to make so that you don’t feel an end-of-life regret? Then, based on your definition of success, choose one small and simple action that will help you move towards that more holistic version of success.
- Celebrate: At the end of every week and month, look back individually and with your team. What went well? What was particularly satisfying? Apply this reflection to both your progress at work and the actions you chose to rebalance your life.
Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here.
Who doesn’t love to achieve their goals? Accomplishments can be a source of energy and strength. With drive and determination, people who are motivated by success often deliver great results and are exceptional in their fields.
