“Your success in your career will be in direct proportion to what you do after you’ve done what you are expected to do”.
Success in any field and life requires tenacity, adaptability, and determination. Additionally, it’s always preferable to maintain a sense of humility and thankfulness while appreciating the chances that have come your way.
Resilience and bravery are also necessary—the guts to take a chance and welcome life’s many detours. Looking back on my career, I frequently consider the advice I heeded, like that of motivational speaker Zig Ziglar.
He advised simply starting driving in any way, and once you are moving, it will be simple to move the wheel in the desired direction.
These seven tried-and-true tactics have helped me succeed and advance in my work. I’m sure they can assist you as well:
1. Never stop thinking for yourself
You might be familiar with Zig Ziglar and his flea parable. According to the story, flea trainers put fleas in a jar and removed the top, causing the fleas to leap up and out of the jar incessantly.
The fleas discovered they couldn’t overcome their limitation when they learned to climb high and repeatedly hit the lid on the sealed jar.
After the trainers removed the lid again, the fleas eventually could not jump out. Even if the restriction was no longer actual, it had already been established in their minds.
2. Don’t anticipate a smooth, professional path
When I was younger, I followed my dad around selling insurance. I am aware that he occasionally yearned to return home. However, he had to press on, and he did. That served as my introduction to the business world.
When I started my own profession, I did what I had to do rather than merely what I wanted to do. It might not have gone as smoothly or planned as I had intended, but no career does.
Opportunities will present themselves to you; it’s up to you to seize them, whether traditional or not.
3. Continue traveling forward
I hadn’t decided to relocate here yet, but I had already traveled and worked in the country. When I was young, British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), the company behind well-known brands like Austin, Jaguar, Morris, MG, Triumph, and Rover, awarded me a coveted scholarship.
I observed work at practically every level of the organization. At the same time, I was employed there, from the production line to top management meetings.
However, despite this remarkable brand and leadership group, the more enormous rifts in British society were now insurmountable. Confrontational labor relations had devastated the company, and I knew there would be no quick fixes.
Instead, I decided that I needed to go to America to continue advancing in my job. I didn’t turn around.
4. Identify your specialty
I played semi-professional football (soccer) for Oxford City Football Club when I was still in England, and that’s when I learned I loved the sports scene. I enjoyed seeing organizations flourish.
Therefore, I integrated them into my specialty, helping sports organizations refocus, build, and drive — on the ice, court, and field. I also concentrated on income creation and fan community building for start-ups and turn-around scenarios.
The National Basketball Association, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Denver Grizzlies, the Colorado Rockies, the University of Denver athletic department, the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers, and Philips Arena were among them.
5. Continue to expand
I served as CEO and then Chairman of The Aspire Group, the sports marketing company I started. I decided to continue to expand because I knew that was what I wanted.
Aspire rose to become one of the top outsourced revenue-generating companies in the world, bringing in over $125 million in new and improved client revenue annually and over $1.75 billion for our more than 300 renowned clients worldwide.
I understood that selling Aspire to Playfly Sports in May 2023 would be the most excellent course of action to maintain Aspire’s growth, as Playfly is the sports multimedia rights, marketing, and technology firm with the fastest rate of growth.
6. See obstacles as chances
Although it’s straightforward, this is a significant mental adjustment. Don’t hesitate to pursue your dreams and goals. For example, you must be willing to climb the ladder to advance in the corporate world, no matter how slippery it may be.
When faced with a challenge, seize the chance it presents itself and take action.
7. rotate the wheel
Let me return to Zig Ziglar, whose insight has taught me much. Change is necessary to advance. Even when there is no velocity, you may need to move the wheel sometimes.
Determining a path to follow doesn’t have to be the first thing you do. If you need more clarification, start anywhere; you can adjust to the proper direction once you move.
Every action has an equal and opposite set of repercussions. However, taking that first step—even if it’s not exactly in the right direction—is frequently crucial to success.
I’ve reached the point where I want to make a difference instead of just furthering my profession. However, I have the experience and accomplishment to help me move forward and apply the lessons I’ve learned throughout the years to this new project.
The benefit of carefully managing your career is that once you’ve decided that you’re ready, you can utilize your expertise, influence, and self-assurance to assist others.
