5 Crucial Rules of Fast Career Advancement 📃✔️

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to write their own rules and fly up the career ladder? While luck may play a small role in the differences between those two types of situations, a lot of it has to do with having the right mindset and consistently showing up in a certain way. And this is good news because it means that, with the right perspective and habits, you too can get on the fast track to your achieving your dream job.

1: Avoid doing for the sake of doing        

Doing more doesn’t always mean getting more. Having a great work ethic is important, but you want to be intentional about any steps you take before ending up burned out and resentful. People who advance fast in their careers know when to press on the gas pedal and when to take a step back to assess the situation and plan their next move. They also tend to be adept at working smart instead of hard.

When it comes to career advancement and professional success, we often think it’s all about doing, and we jump into action steps that are too high on the ladder. We don’t prepare, we try to go too far too fast, and in the process, we hurt ourselves — emotionally and physically with burnout, disappointment, and regrets.

2. Don't wait for opportunity - Creat it!         

When opportunity knocks, you seize it. When an opportunity is nowhere to be found, you create it. Such is the philosophy of professionals who get ahead at lightning speed. It’s not enough to wait for a role to open or make your intentions of getting promoted clear. Set a bigger vision for your life and career so you can notice unexpected opportunities when they pass you by and jump on them — or even do things like start your own business or pitch your dream company to see if they can create a job for you.

3. Flying solo or slow is not the way to go        

One of the more negative perceptions surrounding fast career advancement is that you have to be ruthlessly competitive to get ahead. Just as our heart never stops beating and aging, time our hands will never stop or slow down for us. It is always important that we run as fast as time to keep up with career and never set comforts and set back.

It makes sense: In organizations made up of several functions with sometimes competing priorities, individual wins happen when collective wins are focused on.

4. Don’t live someone else’s dream        

The biggest mistake of all is trying to live someone else’s dream: “I’ve seen it countless times: Making parents happy or proud, making a lot of money in a given field, gaining the respect of friends, social validation, etc.”

Before aiming for that next big career challenge, ask yourself who you are living for. You can only make it so far wanting your outcome for the wrong reasons. People who get ahead fast and consistently are fueled by a desire to reach their dreams so powerful nobody can get in their way. On the other hand, an achievement for the sake of what looks good on paper or what pleases others can end up leaving you drained and unfulfilled — not exactly a state to produce impactful results from.

5. Trust your intuition        

Trust your gut feeling. No one can better judge your shoe or your next step in career more than you. See yourself being an advisor and trust your intuition. Why underestimated? Because a lot of people think of intuition as this esoteric concept, but it’s often the edge that will set you apart. Some of the most successful people are getting many (or most) of their creative ideas and decision-making answers through deliberate and conscious intuition.