Here’s ‘Winning Eleven,’ my own mix of eleven key ideas that have helped me grow both at work and in life. This isn’t your usual list of tips. It’s more like a collection of real stories and lessons I’ve learned along the way. These principles come from my own experiences, the good times and the tough ones. Let’s take a look at these ideas, each one a piece of my journey and maybe something that can help you too
Choose Your Manager Wisely
I learned the hard truth early. “If your boss doesn’t like you, nobody will.” This is such an important statement that just shows the significance of your manager.. A manager who genuinely cares, who mentors and coaches, can accelerate your growth exponentially. Unlike the prestige of a company name, the influence of a great boss endures throughout your career.
In my experience, a manager’s impact is most pronounced in the realms of guidance, motivation, and networking. They can guide you through complex challenges. They can create opportunities to stretch beyond your comfort zone while ensuring you don’t burn out. Their belief in your abilities often precedes your own. Moreover, a well-connected manager can open doors and introduce you to opportunities that might otherwise remain inaccessible.
Embrace the Challenge
You are never truly ready for the next big step. It might be a new role, leading a team, or handling critical projects. The notion of readiness is a blend of preparation and courage. I recall hesitating to take on high-responsibility roles, doubting my own preparedness. But the truth is, most learning happens on the job, not in the training. You grow into roles, adapting and acquiring skills on the fly.
This realization led me to adopt a proactive approach to challenges. Instead of waiting to feel fully prepared, I embraced opportunities as they came. It teaches you resilience and an adaptive mindset. You simply don’t need to do perfect. Embracing challenges is your catalyst for my professional development, transforming potential hurdles into stepping stones.
Money isn’t the Goal
In the initial years of my career, I didn’t choose money. I chose startups. While financial gain is important, it is not the sole determinant of a fulfilling career. I learned a lot from startups. I wrote a lot of hectic code but you know what. It worked. These experiences build a robust professional reputation. They are far more rewarding in the long run. I still use a few skills that I earlier acquired from start up times.
Furthermore, there’s a moment in every professional’s life when money becomes less important. You feel that you have enough, earning more won’t make a crazy difference. I’m not talking about making millions but reasonably good compensation. Redirect your focus from short-term financial gains to long-term career growth and personal development. It will pay off better.
Find your Unique Angle
In a field saturated with talent, carving out a unique identity seems impossible. There are millions of developers around the world. Yet, everyone possesses a unique set of skills and perspectives. I believe the key is to identify, nurture, and showcase them. It takes a bit of time to find your unique angle. It’s not a one time event, you keep pushing forward with it.
Creating a personal brand is in general more than just a professional tactic. It requires taking the risk of being ridiculed. I always feel like my posts or work gets laughed at. You know what it doesn’t matter. I’m learning. I’ll get better. Everyone is unique in some way. It’s a matter of showing it. I embrace my uniqueness not only to set me apart but also bring a sense of fulfillment and confidence in my professional journey.
Network with Purpose
Networking isn’t just about meeting new people. It’s about forming strong relationships with people who inspire you, challenge you, and help you grow. Looking back, I see that I didn’t focus enough on making important connections. Now, I understand how valuable this is and I plan to work on it more.
I’ve been lucky to meet many motivated and talented people at university and in my jobs. These people have helped me during tough times, given me new ideas, and opened up new chances for me. I’ve come to understand that actively making new connections is more than just meeting people; it’s about creating opportunities for growth and enrichment in both my personal and professional life. This proactive approach can open doors and lead to valuable experiences and insights.
Grow from your Failures
Failure can be a great learning experience. Each setback, each project that didn’t go as planned, was a learning experience. Failure becomes a teacher if you reflect on it and change things. If you are failing for the same reasons, it doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You fail for the wrong reasons.
Hence, conducting retrospectives after failures should be your ritual whether it’s personal or professional. These sessions weren’t about assigning blame myself but about understanding what went wrong and how to avoid similar pitfalls in the future. Embracing failure as an opportunity for growth creates continuous improvement, both personally and within my teams.
Set High Targets
Setting ambitious goals is a big driver for success. I’m now planning a five-year plan to reach a few professionals and personal goals. The plan doesn’t need to be rigid but it can still provide a north star to guide my decisions and efforts. So, what’s stopping you? Take a pen and paper, write what you want. It doesn’t matter how big your goals are.
Setting goals is the first step but you still need to make sure you are working towards them. Humans aren’t the best creatures when thinking very long term. So, find things that contribute to your long term goals. Do them weekly.
Keep Learning
There are so many ways to learn. I invested in my education by studying BSc and MSc of computer science. This was one of the best investments I have ever done. I couldn’t have been where I’m now without the education I had.
Formal education might be the first step but how do you learn later? Everyone has a different way of learning but there are tons of ways of doing it. Reading books, watching videos, joining sessions. How do you reserve time? Well, schedule learning hours for yourself weekly. Put it in your calendar and don’t break the rules. Learn at that time. It helped me stay relevant and learn important things about the job. Be it leadership or software development.
Take care of your health
It’s easy to neglect personal health when you feel healthy. However, it’s very easy to lose health and recovery is hard. It’s one of the longest investments that can pay off with years. Furthermore, maintaining physical and mental well-being is critical for long-term success. You need to find your balance. Ensure that the demands of work don’t overshadow the need for rest, exercise, and mental health care.
Prioritizing health also means making conscious lifestyle choices, from diet and exercise to stress management and work-life balance. I’m still learning and adapting to those. Staying healthy is about making one positive step at a time and building a habit of eating healthy and doing exercises.
Help Others to Help Yourself
Helping others pays off in the long run. As it goes in The Godfather, As it goes in the The Godfather, “Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service”. You help someone not expecting an immediate return but a good touch will help you later. Give your time, knowledge, and resources to people. People remember.
This philosophy of helping others is not just altruistic; it’s strategic. It builds a network of people who are likely to support you in return when needed. Instead of competing, choose ways of lifting others. It’s rarely a zero sum game.
Find the right Partner
Finding the right partners, both in your professional and personal life, is hard but very rewarding. The best partners are those who uplift you and inspire you to achieve great things. They are the ones in your corner. They cheer you up and push you towards success. On the other hand, if you’re with someone who isn’t growing themselves, chances are they won’t be much help in your growth journey either.
Finding the right partner doesn’t come with a set of instructions, but it’s important to trust your gut feeling. If something feels wrong, it’s usually best to listen to that feeling. People often hope for things to get better or think that bad signs might change, but if something seems off from the beginning, it’s probably not right. Trusting your instincts can help you avoid problems and lead you to people who really help you grow.
In a nutshell, my journey’s been a wild ride. It’s a combination of mistakes, growth, and tons of learning along the way. The stuff I’m sharing? It’s a pep talk for me as much as it’s advice for you. Here’s the thing: life’s like an endless class. And the big secret? It’s all about diving in with gusto. We gotta take those lessons, turn them into bold moves, and always, always aim higher. It’s not just about stocking up on smarts – it’s about putting that brainpower to work with some serious zing!