“I wish I knew … when I started my career” (Part II)

Last week, we have shared five interesting lessons that the TED Fellows wish they knew when they started their careers (read here). Today, we will continue with another six: -

1. Look past your doubts

“An examiner — in front of the entire team — doubted if I should be the CEO of the company… I wish I knew I could lean on myself and my capabilities to grow and learn, to go beyond the doubts of myself and others, [to believe] that I can lead my own company.” — Adital Ela, sustainability designer

Self-doubt can hold you back in life, keeping you forever in the comfort zone. It makes getting started or finishing things harder than they need to be.

2. What is YOUR definition of success?

“It’s hard for me to think of myself as a ‘successful woman in the workplace.’ But then I realize that’s what I wish I knew: You define your success. There are no accomplishments that will satisfy you and make you feel like you’ve arrived.” — Federica Bianco, urban astrophysicist

What is your definition of success? Is it wealth? Is it happiness? Come up with your own definition of success then work hard to achieve it.

3. Success will come and go, and that’s OK

“I wish I knew that success isn’t a goal; it’s more of a stage or a feeling. You become successful, then you don’t. Then you do again.

It’s not permanent, and there’s no shame in it fizzling away, then making a reappearance. In fact, that is the norm. My career did change, but what impacts my vision more is how much my understanding and awareness of the surrounding elements shapes how I perceive it.” — Eman Mohammed, photojournalist

4. Take a small step or even a step back

“Any ambitious goal is broken down into small steps, and sometimes you need to take the first step to see the next step. Sometimes you even need to take a step back — for example, taking a lesser paying job that will help you grow as a professional and have more opportunities.” — Olga Yurkova, journalist and editor

Never look down on small changes. Sometimes, either moving forward or backward is still better than doing nothing.

5. Again, be patient

“There are no deadlines to materialize dreams. They take their own time and shape, so relax and focus only on doing the deep work. Nothing else.” — Anita Doron, filmmaker

Be patient and enjoy the process!

6. You can always start a new journey

“I started [working in film] so late. I was 26. It’s a career that in developed countries, kids who were in elementary school, middle school, high school had more experience than a person like me [who grew up in China]. I didn’t know how to use a camera when I was 26, and a 6-year-old or a 16-year-old was more tech savvy than me. For a while, I had a sense of not knowing if this was even possible to be a career. I wish I knew that it is possible.” — Nanfu Wang, documentary filmmaker

It’s never too late to get inspired and follow the advice. Look back over your working life, what were the things you wish you would have known earlier in your career? Comment below and let us know!

Reference:

Taylor Trudon, “What I wish I’d known when I started my career”: 11 innovators tell us https://ideas.ted.com/