As you progress through your career, whether it is a ladder or a lattice, you will eventually realize that you have hit the middle of your career. For some of you, this may be a bit of a shock, and you may wonder how you got to this point so quickly.
Often, we realize we’ve reached the middle of our working years based on hitting a milestone birthday. Middle age can be a time of reflection, taking stock, and looking for growth opportunities. Your priorities have likely changed from when you started your career, and you can use your experience to guide you into the future.
A recent article in HBR poses several questions to ask yourself as you consider the middle of your career and consider your future.
What will I regret not having done or learned 10 years from now?
You are not the same person you were five, ten, or fifteen years ago. Think about the times in your life when you have learned from your mistakes. How have they shaped you? Where would you like to be in another ten years? What can you do to put yourself on that path toward that vision now? The article states, “Research suggests that maintaining curiosity, learning new skills, and embracing new experiences are correlated with living a longer, happier life.”
How do I tap into my purpose?
Instead of doing things you thought you needed to do to get ahead or please those who mean a lot to you, it’s time to think about what matters to you and focus your career aspirations around your interests and values. This requires self-awareness. Do you know what your triggers are? What are your management strengths and weaknesses? What are you curious about? Thoughtfully answering these questions can point you in the right direction.
What mastery or gift have I developed to offer the world?
At this point in your life and career, you have developed a variety of experiences, knowledge, ups and downs, and leadership traits. You have created a unique set of skills to share with others. An exercise recommended from the article is from management guru Peter Drucker, “This involves someone asking you “What business are you in?” five times in a row, with each successive question helping you to refine and focus your response…The aim is to come away with a clearer understanding of your strengths and how they can be applied in ways that are meaningful and consistent with your personal purpose.”
What do I want my days to look like?
To get more detailed in your thinking, bring it down to the daily level. This can be your work day or your entire day. How do you want to engage at work and with friends and family? Are there activities you’d like to learn or spend more time doing? This can help you see how to achieve the larger-picture goals in your life.
What trade-offs am I willing to make — or no longer willing to make?
At this point in your career, you understand the give and take of work. Decisions you made previously were likely the right decision at that moment in time. You may make a different decision today if you were facing that decision. Your perspective has evolved. Again, think about your values and be intentional about your choices.
What’s getting better about my life?
Take the time to appreciate what is going well professionally and personally. It’s easy to think about aging from the standpoint of what’s getting worse. That kind of thinking will not help you as you look to make changes. Focus on the positive to create tangible change in your well-being. The article states, “One study showed that people with positive self-perceptions of aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer, on average, than those with a negative outlook.”
The middle of your career is a great time to decide what you want the second half to look like. Much like football and basketball teams make adjustments at halftime, this is your halftime to make the adjustments you want to make in your career.
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