If Only I’d Known: Good Advice from My 59-Year-Old Self to My 29-Year-Old Self

With age comes wisdom, particularly in the realm of career management. An astute soon-to-be-thirty professional posed an interesting question once. He asked, “What’s the advice you’d give your 29-year-old self?” Here goes…

• BE CAREER BRAVE. Take calculated risks and remember chances are you’ll be just fine, but if you’re not you have time to recover.
• VENTURE OUT. If you ever wanted to live somewhere else, work in Europe or try something new, do it while you’re young and fearless. You won’t when you’re 45.
• DON'T SETTLE. Don’t buy into this false promise that a corporate career or organizational life is the only way to succeed or path in life.
• GET FINANCIALLY SAVVY. This will provide with a “cushion of choice” where career decisions do not come from a position of need, rather a position of strength.
• KNOW PEOPLE. The right people make all the difference. Never underestimate the power of a good network of trusted advisors, resources, colleagues and contemporaries.
• BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Know yourself and be self-confident. It’s hard to do when career young or faced with uncertainty, but there are resources that can help you get a clear mental image of your future self.
   
  Everyone wants to be successful. Most people want to make a difference. Everyone deserves to feel secure and safe in their job. We could all learn from the massive C-shifts brought by the pandemic and now inflation. There are many paths to career success. Often, the path starts with disciplined self-reflection, the courage to act and a good resume!