I have built a career over 25 years that has spanned different disciplines and countries. While doing so, I’ve enjoyed interesting work in research, consulting, marketing, entertainment, finance, and non-profits.

Here’s what I learned – you can apply the same success principles across locations and disciplines.

Let me illustrate. If you know how to read, for instance, you can study for exams in both Marketing and Finance. Although the material is vastly different, you will deploy the same skills – the discipline to research and study, the capacity to learn and understand, and the mental preparedness to sit for exams.

So, in this article, I will share some principles I’ve used time and again over 25 years.

Stay Long Enough to Learn a Skill

Mastery takes time, so moving from place to place without gaining professional depth is costly in the long run. In every role I’ve held, I stayed long enough to earn the required certifications and proof of mastery.

In addition, for the disciplines that are still relevant to me, I take refresher courses. Case in point: Marketing. I’ve used marketing in every company I’ve worked in, so I stay up to date by taking courses, even though I stopped being an active practitioner a decade ago.

Develop Capacity

You must learn resilience and multitasking. Life will place multiple demands on you, and you can’t afford to drop the ball.

You learn resilience by refusing to give up and choosing to keep going until you win. Your mindset must become one that says, “The only way forward is through.”

You build capacity through reading and taking on new projects. Reading long-form material forces you to pay attention for sustained periods. It trains your brain to absorb and retain large data sets. Creating summary reports teaches you critical thinking – the ability to cut through the noise and identify the key points when faced with information overload.

Build Your Reputation

Become known for something. Build verifiable expertise and showcase it on your CV and online profiles. When people search for someone with your skill set, your digital footprint should ensure your name appears in relevant searches.

Parlay Existing Credibility

Once you become an expert in one area, people will take you seriously when you transition into something new. Your reputation for excellence carries over, making it easier to build credibility in a new job, discipline, or business.

This is why you should stay long enough in one field before moving to the next.

This principle is particularly useful for creatives and serial entrepreneurs who easily get bored. Fight the temptation to leave behind half-baked achievements as you transition to your next venture.

Build Your Team

A quality team often enables you to transition into your next project or career move. In some cases, your team may even follow you if you’ve built trust and demonstrated leadership.

Create Financial Capacity

Financial stability allows you to experiment with new ventures without feeling the pressure to survive. When you have financial breathing room, you can take calculated risks and explore new opportunities.

In Conclusion…

As you build your career, remember this simple formula a mentor once taught me: Do what you need to do until you can afford to do what you want to do without asking for permission.

I wish you all the best on your career journey.

Mastery takes time. Moving from place to place without gaining professional depth is costly in the long run.

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For more, read Stages of Career Growth