Habitual Skill Development: Staying Relevant in Your Industry
You cannot hope to stay relevant in your field unless you are continually investing yourself in learning new skills. The more you learn, the more opportunities for growth and advancement open up - even if it's just to master one new skill each year. However, not everyone learns as quickly as others. Sometimes it takes time before a skill becomes fluid and natural, especially when the subject is unfamiliar or on an advanced level.
The secret to becoming an expert in your field is to master the basic fundamentals of your trade through repetition and practice. There is no shortcut, no sleight of hand, and no way around this step. Learn the basics before you move on to more advanced knowledge, otherwise you will not have the foundation for growth - sort of like building a house without a solid foundation: it might look pretty on the outside, but it's going to have problems because it's not built for longevity.
The more you learn about your industry and how things are done in your day-to-day work environment the more efficient and productive you'll be. This is a rapid path to becoming an indispensable player in your company. Your colleagues will be counting on you to bring something new to the table - and they'll need your help to push through tough situations and solve hard problems.
Becoming an expert in your industry can be a scary prospect, but it's the best way to improve yourself and reach the next level of performance. In this article I'm going to talk about what it takes for you to become employable in certain industries: knowledge that might feel like poison at first because it seems complicated and abstract, but if applied correctly it can transform you into a self-motivated leader who keeps everybody working toward the same goal: being strategic leaders and change agents who can bring about positive change.
To put it bluntly: If you don't learn new things you'll be left behind. There's no getting around this. It doesn't matter if you're the type of person who has a high IQ or a low EQ (your emotional intelligence level); if you don't read, practice, and test yourself against new challenges then you will become obsolete and unproductive very quickly. It's as simple as that. The sooner you embrace change and the willingness to learn new things the better off your career will be in the future.
The Most Important Thing You Can Learn in Your Field Is How to Learn - That Includes How to Find Information, How You Think About Problems, and How You Organize & Remember What You've Learned...
Life in the modern workplace is drastically different than it was a decade or two ago. Your supervisors and colleagues are going to expect you to know things they don't know - and they're not going to wait around for you to learn them, either. The rules have changed. Everything is more urgent now, so if you've got something that's taking a while to learn - like a new skill that requires practice, research, or reading - then get started on it as soon as possible. It's better to try than wait for the perfect moment that never arrives (there is no such thing).
It's a good idea to find out what skills your company is looking for, and then identify which of these skills are lacking on your resume because they'll make you an instant hit with HR. Your work may be varied and you might not have as much experience as other candidates, but if you can show that you're at least familiar enough with the industry to understand what your responsibilities entail then you will be in the best possible position to excel and do well in the job. You don't have to know everything about each project or know how every aspect of the business works; they're looking for people who can pick up the basics and start from there.
Don't be put off by the fact that some of the information you'll be expected to learn is complicated or strange. Once you have the hang of it, it's like riding a bike: you never forget how to ride. The same goes for this learning process. What might seem impossible at first will become second nature in no time, and once you get that first taste of success and achievement it will become a habit that never stops.
You'll Need to Learn How to Think Differently (The Critical Thinking Skill)
It's like a game of chess, except the pieces on the board are your experiences and lessons in life. Some people are easy to figure out and understand, but others are all over the place. If you learn how to help yourself think strategically you will be able to get those who have a difficult time making sense of things to see things from your point of view, thereby getting them to see things in a new way. This sets them up for success because they can finally begin setting themselves up for success with objective thinking and thoughtful planning that will lead them forward toward their goals and dreams.
Most people aren't very good at thinking objectively. They either go with their gut instincts and hope for the best, or they fall into the trap of reacting to a situation with complete and utter emotion instead of a measured response. Neither of these is the way to success. You can only be successful when you think before you act - so learning how to think and strategize correctly is one of the most important things you can do if you want to get ahead in life.
If you're not the type to sit down and do a lot of pre-planning before you dive in then this might be an issue for you, but you should at least try to study before you act. You can't just react all the time. In order for your brain to think correctly, you need to first set it up and take good care of it: exercising, learning new things, eating well - these are all things that will help oxygenate the blood in your brain and turn on healthy cognitive functions. When they do so everything will be more clear-cut: once your mind is healthier than it will be easier for your thoughts to flow more naturally and thoughtfully.
Conclusion
I hope these tips on how to become employable in your field will help you open your mind and be more engaged and motivated in life. It's not easy getting ahead when everyone around you is doing the same thing, but when you're able to see the bigger picture - be it to better understand your work or get a clear perspective on the world around you - then it's easier to make day-to-day decisions that will lead you forward toward something bigger.