Planning for your career

We will start by evaluating what chances are in your life. Of all the opportunities that come by in your life most of them are second chances. We usually may be hesitant to take the first chance that comes to us but we get to have second chances. It is here that we should be able to learn from the past. A saying goes that-'wise men learn from the mistakes of others while foolish men learn from their own mistakes'-. It goes without saying that experience is the best teacher but it is more efficient to draw from the experience of others.

Having a career is all everyone hopes for. Everyone has a career that they dream of. Not everyone may get the chance to fulfill this dream but we can all work towards it. A career can be described as a lifelong occupation. It is for this reason that you have to do something that you like and are good at. I can recommend a general formula to finding a successful career.

1. Become the best at one specific thing.
2. Become very good (top 25%) at two or more things.

The first strategy is difficult to the point of near impossibility. Few people will ever play in the NBA or make a platinum album. I don’t recommend anyone even try.The second strategy is fairly easy. Everyone has at least a few areas in which they could be in the top 25% with some effort. In to drive this point home I read a script supervisor. She works with directors to make
sure a movie has the right continuity, and one scene fits the next. It’s a fascinating job, hobnobbing with top directors, writers, and celebrities. No two assignments are the same. How do you get that kind of career? She earned a degree in anthropology and just “fell into it”
through a series of events. I get to know much about the the script supervisor, but it was obvious that her verbal/writing skills were in the top tier as well as her people skills. I’m guessing she also has a high attention to detail, and perhaps a few other skills in the mix. Probably none of those skills are best in the world, but together they make a strong package. Apparently she’s been in high demand for decades.

Capitalism rewards things that are both rare and valuable. You make yourself rare by combining two or more “pretty goods” until no one else has your mix.Probably none of those skills will be best in the world, but together they make a strong package.

I will advise young people to become good public speakers (top 25%). Anyone can do it with practice. If you add that talent to any other, suddenly you’re the boss of the people who have only one skill. Or get a degree in business on top of your engineering degree, law degree, medical degree, science degree, or whatever. Suddenly you’re in charge, or maybe you’re starting your own company using your combined knowledge.At least one of the skills in your mixture should involve communication, either written or verbal. And it could be as simple as learning how to sell more effectively than 75% of the world. That’s one. Now add to that whatever your passion is, and you have two, because that’s the thing you’ll easily put enough energy into to reach the top 25%. If you have an aptitude for a third skill, perhaps business or public speaking, develop that too.

It sounds like generic advice, but you’d be hard pressed to find any successful person who didn’t have about three skills in the top 25%.