Twelve Ideas For A Good Career

My elder son will soon be entering the workforce. As he starts over, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the lessons I have taken from my career. Hopefully, he will find them helpful as he navigates his own career.

Here are twelve ideas that I wanted to share for anyone starting out in their career.

1. You will grow in your career only when you grow as a person. Invest in developing yourself continuously. 
2. You are paid to create value at work, not whine and complain. Don’t whine, and don’t be around whiners.
3. Don’t fall into the trap of “I work so hard.” Effort is important, but the result is what counts. 
4. If you want to highlight a problem, make sure you have thought of a possible solution first.  
5. Please treat everyone with respect and dignity-whether it is the janitor or the managing director. Don’t patronize anyone. 
6. Be humble and curious always.
7. Be a giver, not a taker. Putting it differently, contribute more than what you consume. 
8. Never ever say, “it’s not my job.” If there is a job to be done, do it.
9. Spend more time and Effort honing your strengths than trying to improve on your weaknesses. The upside is substantially higher when you leverage your strengths.
10. In a career, there will always be up times and low times. Up Times-Celebrate and take advantage. Low Times- Acknowledge and hold steady. The tide will always turn.
11. Focus on being in the company of people smarter than you. You become smarter and better by association. 
12. Don’t try to over-engineer your career. Go with the flow and accumulate varied experiences. The most exciting career opportunities always tend to be unplanned.