Don’t let your career dictate your happiness

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It is tough being a professional in a constantly changing working environment. Layoffs, reorganization exercises, staff remapping and shifting strategies and management regularly keep professionals up at night worried that the future of their career at their company or industry is not guaranteed. We want certainty in our careers, yet the only thing that’s certain is constant change.

In this turbulent, volatile, and uncertain corporate environment, how can we stay positive and productive and not let the stormy corporate seas wreak havoc in our happiness and wellbeing?

I have met many professionals who have become depressed, lost their confidence and self-esteem, and turned into negativity time-bombs, all because of changes at their company. I understand how hard it is to lose your job, or to be mapped to a terrible manager, or for your work to become automated or obsolete, but I have some tough-love advice for you:

STOP WHINING

It’s not your company’s job to make you happy, no matter how much lip service they give to employee happiness and well-being. Own your career and be in control of it. Otherwise, you'll always be at the mercy of the stroke of a pen.

How do you “own your career”? Here are a few practical tips:

DON’T BE COMPLACENT

When things go well for you at your company, don’t sit back and expect it to last. Always be ready for your next move, whether internally or externally, so you’re not caught off guard when your position is not mapped to the new organisation chart.

BUILD A NETWORK

We all know the famous saying, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” Maintain a good relationship with people from various industries and companies. You never know who the catalyst for your next career move may be.

DEVELOP YOUR MAGNUM OPUS

Imagine yourself as an artist, writer or researcher who has spent decades developing a masterpiece (or masterpieces). What would that masterpiece be? How can each career transition add value to your magnum opus? This mindset will help you proactively shape your career and choose what you’ll want to work on instead of being passive about it.

BECOME THE EXPERT AT YOUR JOB

If you’re assigned to be the tea boy at your office, become the best tea boy in the office. This mindset will ensure that you will continually learn, experiment, develop and never settle for anything but the best.

INVEST IN EXECUTING COACHING

There’s a reason why the coaching industry has boomed in the last decade: it works. It’s just like athletes hiring coaches to help them win the Olympics; investing and hiring an executive coach will enable you to focus on sharpening the skills essential to your career survival and growth.

A final note (and this is on a more spiritual level): when you attach your happiness, well-being and self-esteem to your career, you’re preparing yourself for a life of heartache and disappointment, because people do change and will disappoint. However, when you attach your happiness and well-being to a higher purpose and meaning in life, you’ll have the mindset, tools and values to overcome the most turbulent shifts in your industry.

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