What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

You have to keep learning.

You need to continue adapting.

Your Career Depends On It

The modern definition of a career is changing. In the past you could work at the same job year-in and year-out. You could put in your 20, 30 or even 40 years of service. Then get the gold watch and retire. Knowing you did your best work.

Today that definition has changed. In order to stand out in your career you need to adapt, learn and grow. The concept of a career has changed. Yes, most people will still work 20, 30 or even 40 years. However, it will be the rare person that can do that at the same company and even rarer in the same role.

You need to stay current so that you can always do your best work.

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
~ Charles Darwin

What Got Your Here

It’s not all bad. The mentality and modus operandi of workers and the job creators have changed. Just 20 or so years ago if you said you were in consulting or that you were independent there was a stigma attached. Today it’s almost fashionable to state loudly and proudly that you are a solopreneur. That you are a member of the Gig Economy.

Note: There have always been indepdent contractors, consultants and solopreneurs. It has only recently become more widely accepted as a career choice.

Won’t Get You There

This is changing for the better. Your ability to do almost anything from anywhere is a modern reality. In the past you almost always needed to go to an office. Even if you weren’t working with a team or were working on creative and mentally intensive efforts … your “boss” expected to see you in the office.

The good news is that the world is changing. Most would say for the better, but some are leaning back towards “office hours” as a way to stay connected. This trend will continue for a while. Eventually it will reach a balancing point such that you may need to physically check in periodically, but generally you will be paid for and recognized by the work you actually deliver.

Unlearning is the New Learning

In order to stand out in your career you will need to unlearn a lot of things you were taught along the way. Part of the act of unlearning involves new learning and perhaps relearning. The futurist Alvin Toffler may have said it best.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
~ Alvin Toffler

The time you spend today to understand how you learn will pay big dividends to help you grow your career – this is true for employees and solopreneurs.

What men want is not talent, it is purpose; in other words, not the power to achieve it, but will to labor. I believe that labor judiciously and continuously applied becomes genius.
~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Remember … What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

By keeping the idea in mind that you will need to continue learning and adapting you will be ahead of the curve. A lot of people (myself included at times) rest on the current success. There is nothing wrong with taking a break, but makes sure your break has a plan to get back to the task at hand. Growing your career, your brand, and your reputation.

In fact, a great break for me always includes downtime to read, research, travel, and otherwise just catch up with things I don’t typically have (or make) time for on a regular basis.

When you keep this in mind you will be able to keep moving forward and getting ahead. Even if, and especially when, it’s hard. Labor on. Your career depends on it.

Keep learning. Keep Unlearning. Repeat.