Over the years I have learned a lot about achieving my own career goals. I have been extremely fortunate to work for and develop my own growth within some of the largest, most well-known and well reputed companies in the world (such as IBM) – as well as small start ups and "mom and pop" shops. Throughout my tenure as a professional, I have been asked to coach and mentor many individuals as they progress throughout their career.

Today I would like to introduce 5 strategies that I believe will effectively guide you in growing your own career to the next level.

After all, wouldn’t it be helpful to know how to leverage your personal belief system in order to create strategies to whip your "career self" into shape so you can work towards achieving your targets?

1. Create a daily list showing your successes/failures. Not only should you extol your successes, but you should closely analyze what you did to accomplish them. Were your daily successes accidents or the results of method and discipline? With the same scrutiny, you must also evaluate your failures so you can learn from them. Study what caused the failures, what you could have done differently to affect a different outcome, and put action plans into place to ensure you don’t repeat those same mistakes.

2. Set real goals. Focusing on setting goals which are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and have real due dates is imperative when it comes to career growth. These goals should stretch you but be so desirable that accomplishing these goals will give you a feeling of extreme fulfillment. Remember that almost achieving your goals is a failure, so be sure to write your goals down in a way that indicates you will absolutely reach them, using phrases like "On or before December 31, 2016 I will…" Then read those goals daily in order to stay focused. Establishing a well thought out and well executed goal strategy is critical if you want to grow within your career.

3. Create a plan to reach your goals. I agree with Geoffrey James of inc.com in a statement he made in his article 8 Beliefs That Make You More Resilient. "…if I don’t take action, I will fail by default…" ¹. So build an action plan which will provide a step by step guideline for you to obtain your goals. And then, simply execute!

4. Always, always focus on doing the right thing. Napoleon Hill stated: "I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure unless built upon truth and justice, therefore I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects." ²

5. You can be afraid but do it anyway.

· John Wayne said "Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."

· Winston Churchill stated "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

· Theodore Roosevelt declared "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."

· And we at our company believe: "Success is just a result. Failure is just a result. Fail as fast as possible so you can learn what not to do."

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts

www.craresources.com

(1) Geoffrey James "8 Beliefs That Make You More Resilient" http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/8-beliefs-that-make-you-more-resilient.html?nav=pop

(2) Napoleon Hill "Laws of Success" Copyright 1928, published by The Ralston University Press, p245