When working in an environment where benchmarks are readily available, whether directly or indirectly, we often have a clear understanding of what is required for our career growth. Since these benchmarks typically align with what an average person can achieve through regular skill upgrades for their experience level, achieving them might seem straightforward. However, in reality, it is not always this simple. For countless reasons, we often fail to continuously upgrade our skills, resulting in us falling behind where we could have been.
Firstly, there are no everyday indicators showing that we are slowing down or lagging behind. It is difficult to recognise at first and only becomes apparent later. By the time it is noticeable, it may already pose a threat to our job. But what if there is no immediate job threat? This can easily occur in organisations that can accommodate people based on their current skill levels. In such cases, it's like choosing between just running or running a race. Which would we choose?
It works even If we choose to go with the flow, after all, life goes on. However, the second scenario is more challenging as it requires us to level up. This is where a critical oversight often occurs: most of us aim only for the next immediate level, which is not the true target. We need to cover both the levels we missed and the level we should be at by default. This psychological barrier traps us into feeling accomplished by achieving the next immediate level rather than where we actually need to be. This feeling of achievement is akin to leading in a race where we are overqualified. We may win, but it is not a real victory.
Getting back on track may seem extremely difficult. The good news is that all it takes is a realisation and a growth mindset. Once we hit this mentality, our progress won't stop. It will propel us to levels beyond our current imagination, breaking through benchmarks and compensating for past shortcomings manifold.
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