5 Things I Wish I Knew as a Young Professional
Written by Rachel Shin
I recently celebrated a birthday that launched me from my early thirties into my mid-thirties. Already I feel more settled in myself and more confident in my choices. Since then, I’ve started to think more about where I want to grow in my career, and it got me reminiscing about my experience as a young professional. Ten years ago, I really had no clue where I was going or what my goals were, let alone a five-year plan. (Do we still use those?) But I’ve learned a lot since then and I’m here to share the goods. Whether you’re just embarking on your professional career after graduation or figuring out what to do next, here are some gems I wish I knew as a young lady trying to navigate the professional world.
Invest in Yourself
Investing in yourself is about sowing into who you want to become and where you want to go. Attending professional workshops, building a polished but durable wardrobe, and taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing are all great ways to invest in yourself. Also, learning to manage stress, updating your resume and taking time to rest (which we’ll talk about later) are incredibly valuable tools to learn – and they’re free! To put this into practice, start by asking yourself, “What’s one simple way I can invest in who I’m growing into?” and take a step in that direction.
What’s for You Is for You
If I learned anything last year, it’s this sentiment which means I can trust that, if a job, promotion or open door is for me, then no one can take it away. This required activating my faith and learning to champion others when it was time to celebrate their open doors too. Letting go of control can be a challenge, especially when the stakes are high; but it’s the only way to embrace patience, trust and peace in our professional endeavors. To put this into practice, start by asking yourself, “What’s one small way I can embrace trust in my career?” and take a step in that direction.
Aim High
Most hardworking people don’t just stumble into success; their wins are the result of continual perseverance, effort and vision. Although I’ve always had a strong work ethic, I believed for a long time that I was less than my peers so I didn’t aim high, especially in a financial sense. Over time, I’ve learned that aiming high isn’t about gaining wealth, although that can be a pleasant side effect; it’s about looking past our perceived limitations and seeing what’s possible. To put this into practice, start by asking yourself, “What’s one small way I can challenge myself to aim higher?” and take a step in that direction.
Master Your Habits
We all have those pesky workplace habits; mine is time management. Whatever that little pesky habit is, consider this your friendly reminder to stop ignoring it and explore the why behind it. For me, being late stems from trying to over-achieve while underestimating the time I need and it’s an equation for disaster. At the end of the day, whatever the habit might be, it’s not something we have to keep doing and we are capable of changing it. If you haven’t read Atomic Habits by James Clear, I highly recommend it. To put this into practice, start by asking yourself, “What could be at the root of this habit I’d like to change?” and take a pause to listen.
Rest Is Essential
As an adult, it’s become continually harder for me to prioritize the kind of rest that recharges and recenters me so I can keep doing the work I love. I recently took a few intentional days to reset after a stressful time and it was a total game changer. During that time, rest for me looked like slowing down while doing everyday tasks, exercising consistently, spending quality time with my husband, gathering with life-giving friends, letting go of unnecessary extra projects and protecting my capacity with care. It’s so important that we allow ourselves to fully rest not just for our sake but for our coworkers, family and friends, as the way we care for others is an extension of how we treat ourselves. To put this into practice, start by asking yourself, “How can I invite gentleness into my day today?” and take a pause to listen.
There are so many other great lessons I’ve learned over the years from amazing bosses and coworkers, so I’ll throw in a few bonus one-liners of wisdom here:
- Be gracious in conversation with everyone you meet.
- Manage your time or it will manage you.
- In a job interview, you’re also interviewing your potential employer.
- Ask for what you’re worth.
- Give others the benefit of the doubt.
- The best leaders are the greatest servants.
- Build others up at every opportunity.
I’m sure that in ten more years I’ll have a whole new list of wise gems to share. We’re all on a learning journey and I hope you feel inspired to grow and challenge yourself in new ways!
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