High performers like to win. Hard work and challenges don’t phase you, but the idea of failure is scary. Sometimes it’s not even true failure, but just the appearance of it that makes you uncomfortable. 

 

The pursuit of success seldom takes a straight path, so be willing to make adjustments and course corrections along the way. In basketball, when a player pivots one foot stays planted in one spot while the other one is free to move as needed. You can do the same in your career. Be focused, and flexible.

 

 

Question of the day: What’s one change or pivot you’re thinking about in your career?

 

 

Essential career advice for ambitious young professionals. 

 

Full show notes and other resources available at www.focusthefire.com

 

Connect with host on twitter @dalanv www.twitter.com/dalanv

 

Connect with show on twitter @focusthefire www.twitter.com/focusthefire    

Looking to move up the corporate ladder? Demonstrate that you’re able to handle more.

 

Interesting things happen when you set aside your insecurities and take confidence in your ability to learn whatever is needed. The first thought that often pops into our minds when presented with a new task is “I’ve never done that before and might look stupid if I try”. Maybe so, but once you get past that you can learn to excel in that new area. 

 

People who take on incremental tasks are increasingly valuable and can go on to be leaders in the organization. So maybe it’s time for a little more yes.  

 

 

Question of the day:

What is your first reaction when asked to do something you’ve never done? (Comment below or on twitter)

 

Essential career advice for ambitious young professionals. 

 

Full show notes and other resources available at www.focusthefire.com

 

Connect with host on twitter @dalanv www.twitter.com/dalanv

 

Connect with show on twitter @focusthefire www.twitter.com/focusthefire    

How do you run your day? Not just the morning routine before you leave home, but the entire day. We often start the day with big ambitious plans, then after lunch we begin to concede defeat and accept that a lot of that stuff will not get done.

 

Here’s one twist to start knocking off some big items early: Do the hard things first. 

 

Instead of avoiding seemingly unpleasant tasks, push them to top of your list and attack them hard early in the day. To jump start the day, you may even consider crushing something important but challenging extremely early. After struggling with regular exercise for years, I’m finding many benefits to getting this in early in the morning rather than trying find time in the evening when my body and brain are fatigued.

 

Question of the day: What’s one tough thing you can start crushing early? 

 

Essential career advice for ambitious young professionals. 

 

Full show notes and other resources available at www.focusthefire.com

 

Connect with host on twitter @dalanv www.twitter.com/dalanv

Self-improvement can work much faster when we engage in constructive multi-tasking. While isolating and focusing on one area certainly has its advantages, there are incremental gains available when we consciously choose how much attention to give a primary task, while learning some secondary skills.

 

Take a rounded balanced approach. Health, discipline, education, happiness, overall performance. All of these are important, and you can train more than one area, just not all at the same intensity. 

 

Tune in to learn more.

 

Question of the day:

What primary and secondary task are you excited to improve today?

 

Essential career advice for ambitious young professionals. 

 

Full show notes and other resources available at www.focusthefire.com

 

Connect with host on twitter @dalanv www.twitter.com/dalanv

 

Connect with show on twitter @focusthefire www.twitter.com/focusthefire