Admired @ Work: Start Where You Are

In our interviews with the world’s highest achievers, one after another told us how important it is to do your job better than anyone has before you.  “Do it like you’re going to have it forever,” Jeff Immelt advised over coffee one afternoon.  Don’t spend all your energy and talent focused on “the next job; learn something – learn a lot – about the job you have today.  First go deep, then go broad.”  First develop a skill set and demonstrate that you’re good at it, and then you will earn the attention to be offered more opportunities. 

Ironically, people are so busy looking for the perfect job or the dream opportunity they forget to pay attention to the job they have.  The most valuable people in your life – your boss, your colleagues, your organization, your significant others/family – will remember if you tried your best and treated others with respect.  They will want to help you as you helped them and that may mean an amazing job opportunities or key connections that change your life forever.  On the other hand, no one will thank you for keeping one foot out the door, waiting for your change to move on to a better place.  And opportunities might just pass you by because of it. 

If you don’t feel you can add value where you are, think about where you could add value and get yourself there.

Excerpts taken from “Admired – 21 Ways to Double Your Value” by Mark C. Thompson and Bonita S. Thompson