Two career experts explain what people who have successful, meaningful careers do differently.
A happy, motivated employee finds their work energising and is proud to talk about their job. On the other hand, an unmotivated employee is bored, frustrated, stressed and even disengaged at work.
Capitec’s Executive of Human Resources, Nathan Motjuwadi, says when you’re not feeling fulfilled in your current position, you should explore why. “If you’re disengaged at work, you might be in the wrong job, in an unsuitable environment or simply at a career crossroad.”
According to a 2019 Flux Trends presentation, The Future of Work, the average 20-year-old will change jobs 29 times in their life. Dr Wim Myburgh, an industrial psychologist and executive career coach, says the idea that a career means one job for life, is fading. “A career is a series of jobs that relate to one another but become more challenging and stimulating as you go along”.
“Your talents (what you’re good at) and your values (what matters to you in life) should inform your educational requirements for a meaningful career. Exploring these areas can help you set realistic career goals and expectations and expand your career view to include alternative jobs.”
The ideal job should meet your values, use your talents and stimulate your interests. Motjuwadi suggests asking yourself the following questions to determine if you’re in the right job:
If you’ve answered no to all 3, there are steps you can take to get more inspired about your future.
“To define your dream career, you need to know what you enjoy doing and what you’re passionate about. Your ideal career should incorporate that, and it will keep you energised and motivated,” says Motjuwadi.
Why do some people achieve their potential while others who are equally talented, don’t? “Some people think that if you’re smart or talented enough, you don’t need effort. But effort is what makes you smart or talented. They must also take action to meet their goals. This requires effort and persistence,” says Dr Myburgh.
If you want to maximise your potential, you should step outside your comfort zone. “Focus on enhancing your skills, competencies and education,” Motjuwadi suggests. He advises pursuing these interests part-time if it’s not something you can do at work: “If you want to be a musician, start pursuing it on weekends.”
Sometimes that means you have to save for guitar lessons or sound equipment. To make things easier, put your lazy money to work with Capitec’s Global One, which earns from 4.75% interest on your daily balance.
People often reach a point where they feel that they’re “good enough” and stop challenging themselves. That’s when they lose the motivation to keep learning. “Always remember that the effort of growing may be uncomfortable, but the cost of staying the same, is boredom,” Dr Myburgh says.
“The number one characteristic I see in the people who progress from entry-level jobs to top senior positions at Capitec, is a commitment to never stop learning,” says Motjuwadi. “An online course can also be a useful tool to advance your career,” he suggests, “that way, you can explore your interests without committing to a career change. That’s the difference between taking a leap of faith and jumping jump off a cliff.”
Credit can be a useful tool to improve your life. If you are interested in studying further, learn more about paying for your tertiary education with personal credit.
