How do you create career success?

I recently received a question from a college student:

"I'm fascinated by and curious as to how you've jumped around from company to company so quickly and been promoted so rapidly within such big companies." - Student

What would you say in response to the same question?

I offered the student my perspective and shared it with you below. But I am just one person. I know the student (and, perhaps, many other students) would love to hear from you.

If you are willing, it would be awesome of you to leave your answer in the comments field below. What would you stay in response to the same question? How have you found success and been promoted in big companies?

We look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to learning from you. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

My response:

Here's the thing: getting ahead is remarkably simple. All you have to do is work harder, faster and more efficiently than everyone else while constantly running defect reduction and operational excellence programs against yourself and your own performance while never loosing sight of the goal you must achieve before you die.

Your goal may change. I have fulfilled many ambitious goals and been remarkably disappointed by how unfulfilling their fulfillment ended up being. But that lack of fulfillment inspired me to immediately find a new goal, something that I would be happy doing. And when I defined my new goal, I included all the lessons (i.e.: made sure not to repeat the mistakes) I have learned through my many, many failures.

If I repeat failures, I try to root-cause the defect that is inspiring the failure. E.G.: in the last 5 years I have started to tattoo my forearms to remind myself of key things about life, love, happiness and loss that I have a tendency to forget.

Your relentless pursuit of your goal must never cease. Your goal must inspire a sense of purpose and urgency. Life is so much more inspiring, awakening and fulfilling if you wake up every day with a sense of purpose, a need for urgency and a subtle awareness of your goal's mortality (and, perhaps, your own...). Your ability to get shit done will be based on your performance, and your performance is forced to improve when you are under the gun.

How you choose to pursue your purpose, what makes you happy and the level of risk and stress you are willing to endure are your decisions.

However, if you follow the advice above, I am positive you will achieve levels far beyond your most realistic and honest expectations of yourself.

Be well, West

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Author's note:

My 2017 New Year's Action Plan is to spend my free time product managing the American dream. Along the way, I plan on sharing everything I know about innovation and entrepreneurship, to help everyone achieve their own American dream. If you have questions or would like to know something, please reach out and let me know. I will do my best to answer your question.

West Stringfellow is the Founder of Potintia, Inc. and VP, Innovation at Target.

Follow West on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

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