Last week, I published my book titled 23 Tips to Climb a Life Mountain, now available to read on Amazon’s Kindle store (paperback in progress). I am proud of the time and effort I put into my book and believe it gives everyone a great insight into my journey. I wanted to thank all of the people who have helped motivate me to write the book. This book has been in the making for a long time, and I wouldn’t have been able to write it without the support of many people. This long journey has ended up being an incredibly rewarding one for me. The completion of this book is an example of me practicing what I preach, and I have learned a ton along the way.
I have learned numerous valuable lessons throughout my career (both in the corporate world and as an independent consultant). Through my various experiences, I have been pushed to improve myself. I wanted to share some of my favorite stories and nuggets of wisdom I have picked up over the years. I hope that readers find my tips useful, and can apply them to their own lives and careers. My book includes 23 tips to help you grow as a person and a professional. To give you a preview of my book, I have some tidbits of information that are included in the novel.
Tip 1: Maintain energy and tempo. Get things done fast.
Here is an excerpt from my chapter on energy and tempo:
“I joined Thomson Reuters at the age of 22 in 2009, and by the age of 23, I had already received a 3-level promotion directly into a Team Leader position. This had never happened before, as most of my colleagues were in their thirties and waited several years for each promotion. Becoming the youngest Team Leader / Manager was a big success but also a massive challenge… I threw myself wholeheartedly into leading my 12 direct reports team. In my position, I was assigned tasks and objectives that I had to complete for the company. I am happy to say that not only did I tackle those assignments, but far exceeded those objectives, securing the top ranking in the whole company, reserved for the top 1% of performers.
A big part of my success both as a Data Analyst as well as a Team Leader was the passion and energy I brought to the job. I was always energetic and passionate when it came to my professionalism and leadership skills, and it was easily recognizable in everything I did. I truly loved my profession. Getting things done became an art for me and I tackled the tasks with incredible speed, leaving no time for second-guessing or procrastination. I noticed that completing my assignments quickly led to a boost of adrenaline, which in turn allowed me to continue accomplishing more and more with an even better tempo. I was able to build up momentum and get my work done proactively and effectively, which is why I built a reputation of someone who works hard and without complaining.”
Companies are primarily concerned with two measures: effectiveness and efficiency. I combine both incredibly well, which has allowed me to become successful from a young age. Doing everything deliberately allows me to move quickly, while still performing at an incredibly high level. In a world that is becoming increasingly deadline-focused, being able to finish work in as little time as possible is incredibly desirable for employees and clients. Thus, I was able to move up the organization at Thomson Reuters with blazing speed. As I improved, my confidence in myself led me to go independent and find success. My ability to work with incredible speed has put me in the position I am in today.
Tip 2: Don’t beat yourself up; reward yourself
Another excerpt from my book:
“Finding your balance and what relaxes you the most is very powerful. I have noticed that outside of work activities and hobbies can seriously boost your creativity and further enhance the quality of your work and life. Being well rested allows you to be more performant, which in turn allows you to have more time for yourself, creating a success cycle. I often feel very inspired while traveling, visiting art museums and galleries, or spending time in nature. Having nourished my soul, I come back with numerous creative ideas that I can implement in other aspects of life. Putting in an effort and creating momentum seems to be the best combination for me. How you do anything is how you do everything!”
Work-life balance has come to the forefront within the past decade or so. Millennial and Gen Z workers are all quite concerned with having enough time to fully enjoy their lives outside of work. Plus, I do believe that we have a “battery” when it comes to our work. At a certain point, increasing our work hours will give us increasingly diminishing returns. Giving yourself time to relax and reset does not harm your work output; in fact, it will improve it! I often find that I will create my best ideas for a challenging project after taking some time to myself. Whether it be traveling, exercising, or just taking some time to breathe allows me to recharge and push harder.
Some might say that having a work-life balance is in opposition to my tip of working quickly. However, they work in tandem. I can work at an incredible pace because I give myself the time to re-energize. Pursuing my passions outside of the office allows me to give 110% when I’m working. I continue to prioritize my hobbies so that I can be the best version of myself.
These two tips are only the beginning of what I have in my book. I’ve poured all sorts of effort into the book, and I’m proud that you all are now able to read it. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW19SRJ8
Thank you all for your support, and be sure to send your feedback to me!
MJ