Reflecting on 40: 4 Lessons Learned During My Career
🌟 Reflecting on 40: 4 Lessons Learned During My Career 🌟
As I celebrate turning 40, I find myself in a reflective mood, thinking back on my career path. The road to this milestone has been filled with many highs, lows, and invaluable lessons that have shaped me professionally and personally. Here are 4 of my key lessons:
1. A career does not have to follow a straight line
One of the most liberating realisations is that a career is not a linear journey from point A to point B. There are many unexpected twists and turns, yet they have their way of turning out nicely. F.i. early on, I thought success meant climbing a predetermined ladder, starting with a much coveted traineeship at Philips or ING. I first thought I failed when that did not work out, yet instead I am thankful for the role I got instead at Linehub, immersing myself in the nuts and bolts of online marketing, and being allowed to experiment with new business models in this very flexible organisation.
2. The meaning of a good careers changes
Unbeknownst to a younger me, what a good day at work is can radically change. From coffee and cigarettes fuelled days hunting for patterns in performance marketing numbers to make tactical decisions for incremental change based on expertise, to a broader and more human first focus to change something (however small) in the life of a customer. In short, from ego only to making a better impact on the world. A full correlation and not a causation, yet this also the mission of Adevinta/Marktplaats where I spent 8 happy years.
3. T-Shaping your skills is fun
In a world that often values specialisation, I've found immense joy in "T-shaped" skills - having a broad base of knowledge while also cultivating deep expertise in a specific area. Instead of a straight path towards ever more transcending skills, I find it immensely valuable to at least know where the levers are which can be pulled, or sometimes better yet, even pulling them myself. As a relatively new entrepreneur with Swell, I'd better as there are so many practicalities and new areas to discover.
Btw, a fun tool to check where you are: https://lnkd.in/gZhE2p6A
4. Relationships Matter
Amidst projects, deadlines, and emails, it can be easy to forget the importance of relationships. However, I've learned that the connections you build are the best foundation of success, and these interactions have enriched my career in profound ways. Investing time in building and maintaining these has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my journey.
As I look back on these lessons, I see how they've shaped my path and brought me to where I am today. They will help me to navigate the ever-changing landscape of work, and I hope some of you find them similar to your discoveries.
Here's to the next chapter, filled with growth, new discoveries and meaningful connections! 🌿🌟