Monday, November 6th, 2006
Things You Can Do That'll Boost Your Career
If You're Spending All Your Time Just to be Able to Pay Your Bills - You'll Never Get Ahead. Figure Out a Way to Work Toward Building a Solid Future in the Entertainment Business...
Whether the New Year holds major changes in your life or features more modest developments, you don't have to just wait and see what happens. Take a good look at what you're doing and strategize about what you really want for yourself and your career - and think of ways you can make that happen.
There are some very deliberate steps you can take to affect your performance in a positive way this year... here are a few simple ideas that'll improve your career.
1. Don't Beat Yourself Up
Set aside the self-depreciating humour for awhile and see how it feels to be a self-promoter. It isn't always about what you do that counts, sometimes it can be about what not to do. So, don't beat yourself up over mistakes and failures - these are things you can fix with a little more practice. Positive thinking starts with the removal of negative thoughts.
A certain degree of modesty is always a good thing. But, there are times when you need to acknowledge your skills and accomplishments to yourself and others. Start giving yourself credit where credit is due.
2. Shake Up Your Routine
You don't have to start a whole new career to add some excitement to your regular work schedule. There are things you can do within your current routine - look for ways to broaden your experience, develop new skills and make an effort to seek out new opportunities.
You might volunteer for a benefit show, work a duo with another performer or write a proposal and pitch the idea to an investor/ producer... you might even stage a special performance on your own. Be willing to take some risks and stretch your skill set this year.
3. Set At Least One Difficult Goal
Go beyond your usual goals or other targets and set a professional goal you can really get excited about. It should be achievable within the next 12 months and it needs to be measurable - that is, you need to be able to clearly identify when you've achieved it. But, more importantly, it needs to be something that will make you feel fabulous when you achieve it.
Once you have established your goal, write out the steps you'll take to reach it and write reminders in your daytimer or "to do" list to check in on your progress every month.
4. Find A Mentor
It is so helpful to find someone experienced in your field to talk to about your work, issues you're facing, your plans for the future and general strategies for success. But, don't get tied down by the old life-long mentor/protege definition of a mentoring relationship. Mentorship can take a full range of forms. It can be as simple as contacting someone you admire and having a couple of phone or even e-mail conversations.
Check with some of your professional associations, music industry groups or alma mater to see if they have a mentorship program. Perhaps I can set up a simple Q&A program through the Entertainment Network that will serve as a beginning for this process. In the meantime, you are welcome to e-mail me your career related questions and concerns.
5. Take A Holiday
Major companies have annual retreats for their management and senior staff to get away, regroup and strategize. As the CEO of your career you need to do the same.
Make sure you get a holiday this year... give yourself a chance to relax and do something you love with people you love. This will allow you to take a little time to reflect on your career, assess your personal and professional values and look at the direction you would like your career, and your life in general to take.
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Posted By Les Vogt @ 12:00 AM
Author's site: http://www.members.shaw.ca/lesvogt
Les Vogt is an independent producer, promoter and entertainment consultant. Contact: lesvogt@shaw.ca | [Comment on this blog post] |
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