Early in your career you followed examples of success in business, in leadership, in life. From those examples, I’m sure you gravitated toward one person as your business hero, a role model.
As you moved up the career ladder, you may have been lucky enough to have a mentor. Your mentor shared stories of how she navigated the failures and successes of her career, giving you a route to map your own.
Outgrowing Your Role Model
Now, with your experience and accolades in hand, you are venturing to take the next step. It may be to swerve off your current path or to take a leap to the next level. There is much advice for those wanting to become successful. One item in particular caught my eye recently. This article written by a tech millionaire listed 4 leadership lessons. The one that stood out for me: Be True to Yourself.
And with that challenge comes a very important question:
Who are you? As a leader, as a business person, as a person?
At this point in your career, you need to develop your own model. Your own way of making decisions. Your own values and goals. No longer is it wise to ask ‘what would my role model do?’ Because your role model isn’t you.
Will the Real You Please Stand Up
You are unique. Your situation is unique. To be your best self, you need to understand the real you.
Because you alone must walk this path toward success, you must know yourself, your strengths, your goals, your environment, your weaknesses, your limiting beliefs, and so much more. Knowing yourself is not a box that is checked never to be looked at again. It is something that must be revisited throughout your career and life. With every experience, you change.
It’s time to introduce yourself to yourself. Who is the authentic you? Who do you want others to experience in your professional life? Are those two selves the same?
