I would not say that young people need to plan their success track earlier than ever. It can be challenging to outline it too precisely- one’s path will often be jagged and unexpected. What I would say, however, is that young people need to understand that they must be flexible and keep pivoting in order to ensure a continually bright future.
There are a number of ways that they can set themselves up for success early on, however. They include the following:
- Making continuous learning a part of their vocabulary. One thing is for certain- you know the punchline here– change. Businesses, industries and consumers all evolve. That’s why it’s crucial for young people to keep re-educating themselves along with those changes.
- Staying on top of industry news and trending business topics. The more they know and can contriubte, the more people will gravitate towards them, and the more opportunties will come their way.
- Networking, networking, and more networking. Networking is a major key to success. When they get to know others, they learn more about themselves and the world around them.
- Working to build flexibility. Flexibility is one of the most important job skills that they can acquire. The more that they are able to pivot and change in the workplace, the more valuable they will be to the team.
- Practicing self-care. When they are happy and healthy, they are functioning on all cylinders and better able to deal with everything that comes their way. They are also more productive and content too.
- Sharpening their soft skils. Soft skills are more closely correlated with success than hard skills, any day of the week. Working to ensure that they are collaborative, communicative, responsbile and professional will help them to achieve their career objectives.
- Setting clear goals and boundaries. One won’t get anywhere without an agenda. Young people must ask themselves what they want to accomplish and how, and then outline the steps that it will take to get there. They’ll also need to set clear boundaries for their time.
- Aiming for work-life balance. Focusing too much on any one area of their lives is not a good idea. Young people must ensure that they find balance to meet success in multiple areas.