Clarifying your purpose and direction in life is the first step in creating the life and career success you want and deserve. Tweet 3 in my latest career advice book Success Tweets says, “Your direction is your vision for the next 3 to 5 years.”
As you go through life and accomplish your goals, you will be likely to become interested in new things.
My friend Cliff Kimble is nearing retirement as a construction foreman. And while he may no longer be overseeing the reduce costs with aluminium door frames and construction of light rail stations here in Denver, he is far from finished working. Cliff is a born storyteller – one of the most gifted I know. He is making plans for a second career as a storyteller. He’s begun by writing a funny little book, full of stories about his love for the outdoors, Buford’s Tall Tales. You can get a copy on Amazon.com. If you like the outdoors, hunting and fishing – or just some humorous stories you need to get your copy.
But this post isn’t about Cliff’s book. It’s about his passion for life and willingness to move on new things in his life and what Cliff’s story means for your career success.
Tweet 5 in Success Tweets says, “Your vision should be a BHAG; a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Make it something that is really worth accomplishing.”
Becoming a professional storyteller is a BHAG for Cliff. So was writing a book. That’s what is so cool here. Cliff is setting the direction for the next phase of his life. And, he’s chosen a pretty audacious goal.
So what does this mean for you? It means that you too should be bold and daring as you set the direction for the next three to five years of your life. Don’t be constrained by convention; see yourself as an audacious career success three to five years in the future.
That’s how you become a career success.
Your mindset makes all the difference when it comes to life and career success. You need to be willing to commit to doing things differently. As the saying goes, you need to be willing to give up what you are for what you can become.
The first step in creating a BHAG to set your direction is to determine your goal for the time frame you choose. I’ve created one year and five year goals for myself. Cliff has set a two year goal for himself.
Your goal should be very focused. It should be difficult to achieve – or it’s not a BHAG. It should stretch you past your comfort zone. It should be life changing. It should build on the momentum you have going. It should excite and stimulate you. It should be something that is really worth accomplishing.
Cliff’s goal of becoming a professional storyteller qualifies on all fronts. It’s focused, and not a slam dunk. When he achieves it, his life will change dramatically. He’s created some great momentum by writing the book. He’s excited – already planning more Tall Tales books. And, the world needs more storytellers – people who can stimulate our minds and passions. His goal is definitely worth accomplishing.
The common sense career success coach point here is simple. Successful people clarify their purpose and direction in life. Your purpose is your personal mission. Your direction is your personal vision – what you will accomplish in the next three to five years. And, as Tweet 5 in Success Tweets says, “Your vision should be a BHAG; a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Make it something that is really worth accomplishing.” Your personal vision should be bold and daring, original, not restricted by your past way of thinking, highly inventive, unrestrained and uninhibited.
In short – think big, think outside the box, think about what you can become, not what you are today. Think of my friend Cliff Kimble who is going from being a construction foreman to a professional storyteller. That’s thinking outside the box.
That’s my take on how to keep moving forward to your life and career success and on the career advice in Tweets 3 and 5 in Success Tweets. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear them. Please share them with us in a comment. As always, you have my deepest thanks for reading.
Bud
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