Listening to the radio yesterday, I heard someone being interviewed regarding salary negotiations say to the interviewer "They expect to have their cake and eat it too". I immediately thought, apart from what a stupid saying, isn't that what cake is for?
I get what the interviewee was saying, you can't have it all ways, but why can't you was my next thought. The world is a big place, there's plenty of opportunity for those who want it, there's more than enough to go around, one person can't have it all.
And yes, I get that some people may not be able to go and get what they want. It is sad that in today's world there are an increasing number of people that, for whatever reason, may not be able to excel. Perhaps then it is up to the majority of us to help those who cannot excel. I ask you this, wouldn't you be in a better position help those who can't get ahead if you excelled?
Don't allow others (or yourself) to hold you back. Provided you aren't doing anything illegal or unethical, then why shouldn't you have everything that you want.
Here's a quick guide that might help you;
- Have a think about what you want or where you want to be in five years. Ten years is probably too far ahead to look in this constant changing world.
- Work out what you have to do to get there - academic studies, gain practical experience, move to another company, read books, whatever it takes to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes to achieve your goal.
- Then break the actions into smaller chunks, six to twelve month periods is a good guide, and take immediate action while it is fresh in your mind.
The biggest thing I believe is to remain open to new ideas and a new direction. Long gone are the days of adhering rigidly to your plan, opportunity comes in many forms and without time frames so be open to them. Modify your plan if need be but keep heading in a forward direction with the positive momentum that you started with.
There will be times when you get tired, when you wonder why you are working so hard for seemingly little reward, when you see others getting ahead who aren't working as hard as you are, when perhaps you will lose interest or become fatigued. That's natural.
Nothing comes easy and if it does, it never lasts. Take a break, reassess, refocus, and get back on track when you feel the urge and have the energy to do so.
The world is limitless. We put roadblocks on opportunity because our brain has a negative bias. We start to question ourselves, to question our abilities, to question the timing, and we make up things that aren't even there before we have started.
We begin to look at the risks rather than the rewards. We look at the immediate risks rather than the long-term gains.
My question for you is "What are you waiting for?" There is no starting line, no right time, no one to say "Okay you are good to go". Now is the time to start. Not this year, not this month, not this week, today. Sit down right now and work out what you want, how you are going to get there and then take action, today.
What are you waiting for? Of course you can have your cake and eat it, and there's plenty more once you have finished that piece.