Career Advice From the Future

Doesn’t everyone wish they had a crystal ball? Well, maybe you don’t need one. If we asked 10,000 seasoned professionals what their best career advice would be for their younger selves, we bet it could be summed up in the five points below. In other words, consider the following bits of wisdom as advice from your future self.

1. It’s not the end of the world.
   You didn’t get the job? The promotion? The deal? In your long career, this moment will become just a blip on your radar. You have plenty of time to rebound. Accept your current reality, and move on. The future awaits!
2. Paying your dues will pay off.
   Patience, patience, patience. You may feel stagnant in your career right now, but every position is a stepping stone that will get you to where you are meant to be. Get very clear with your career vision and then trust the process.
3. What goes around comes around.
   Be kind to everyone. Work hard. Think positive. Start building a good reputation, and it will pay off in the long run. Your consistency will be recognized and respected.
4. There’s no one right path.
   Don’t worry about other people. Focus on yourself. Only you can make the right choice for your self and your career at this moment. The journey may not be a straight line and that’s ok. You’ll learn a little bit every step of the way.
5. Baby steps pay off.
   Speaking of little steps, every seemingly unachievable goal was achieved one step at a time. Little by little. Make small changes in your every day life and you’ll reap big rewards in the long run.

Image via Dibus y Deabus/Flickr.