The career-transition road is long. There will be plenty of struggle. There will also be plenty of ups. If you don’t give yourself credit no one will. Make sure to chart your progress and celebrate your successes.
A win isn’t just getting the next job. It’s a networking call resulting in an introduction to a recruiter. It’s a research effort uncovering a new contact in a targeted company. It’s an offer to interview, even for a role that doesn’t fit all your career requirements.
Begin by measuring how many connectors and trailblazers you’ve identified.
Next, track the number of calls you’re having with each category.
Then, tally up your weekly count of coffees and calls.
You’ll see the amount of work you are putting in in no time. This commitment itself is a milestone. The journey is part of the process. Your initial investment and time will pay off!
People lose their motivation and drive quickly when they don’t celebrate small victories.
Contrast these two approaches:
Action –> Result –> Celebrate –> Increased action –> Betters results
VS.
Action –> Result –> No celebration –> Reduced action –> Diminshing results
Celebrating success feels wonderful in the moment and sets you up for future success. This process also helps define what specific actions generate the best results. Consequently, you will repeat what works, generating even more wins!
Ben - you are absolutely right. Celebrating small wins ends up being difficult because the end goal is still unmet. Reminding yourself along the way that you are actually progressing towards that end goal is important for maintaining positivity and momentum. Great article!