Managing My Career: Peaks and Valleys

Original photo by faithfulllyyy

I quit my job a little more than two months ago.  Over these past two months I've had a lot of time to look back and analyze what I did wrong and what I could have done better career wise.

My first and biggest mistake was that I took my job for granted.  I actually knew better, but I got lazy.  I read a book back when I first started my previous position called Peaks and Valleys.  It is a quick and excellent read.  I highly recommend it.  Any way, I was on a Peak with my previous position.  I had reached the top of that particular climb.  I was so proud of what I had done and enjoying the view so much, that I forgot to prepare for the next peak.  In preparing for the next climb and peak ahead of time, the journey to the next peak is that much easier and faster.  Typically, the result is a "higher" peak than the previous one.

So, instead, I've gone down and down and down into a valley.  Valley's aren't bad, they just need to be managed when you are at the top of a peak.  Again, to make the journey less arduous.  My journey is going to be VERY arduous at this point.  This particular valley I'm in is very deep.  Again, not a bad thing, there is just a lot more work to be done before I get to the next peak.

The other positive thing about managing your peaks and valleys is that when you are at the peak of one climb you can see WAY off into the distance (if you bother to look, which I didn't.) and see all kinds of other peaks and valleys all around you.  It makes it easier to pick and choose which direction you are going to go in order to make the next adventure fruitful.

To help me manage this crazy valley I've started to follow Careerealism as well as Dale Partridge.  Both of these websites are awesome.  Careerealism is a daily e-mail with all kinds of great advice.  Every Sunday they do a webinar on a career or small business topic.

Dale Partridge is this 20-something millionaire that has all kinds of really good advice.  It is both humiliating and humbling to read.  They guy is a small business genius.  Creating something that makes money is as easy as breathing to him.  Thankfully, he does have a lot of really good advice.  He isn't so far advanced that he cannot relate to the little guy just starting out or struggling with their own cause, like myself.

So, if you are at a peak, or think you might be at a peak, take a look around.  Pick your next peak and start doing the work now, while you're at the top to get to the next peak that much quicker.

Otherwise, I'll see you down here in the valley.  Just know that there is plenty of fresh mountain spring water and beautiful foliage down here in the valley.

Keep it rubber side down!
Clayton