The Overlooked Element of Career Development: Mindset Growth

small2kuo
2 min readMar 12, 2024

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Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Many people believe that career development is solely tied to technical skills and soft abilities, neglecting the significance of mental growth.

As one progresses to more senior roles with larger scopes and increasingly ambiguous projects, the focus tends to be on improving technical abilities or soft skills such as communication and coordination. However, from my own experience, there’s an essential aspect to consider before diving into action — one’s mindset readiness.

When faced with daunting projects, it’s easy to plan discussions, understand related work, clarify requirements, set milestones, and estimate efforts. Yet, the challenge lies in initiating these tasks, especially when distractions loom and deadlines approach.

Earlier this year, I encountered this scenario again, enduring weeks of agony until a breakthrough occurred, altering my perspective and eventually resolving the issue.

So, what changed?

Firstly, I realized that envisioning the complexities of the tasks drained my energy, making action seem overwhelming. Being emotionally volatile and lacking discipline further complicated the situation. Recognizing that continuing the work would deplete my energy without immediate achievements, I needed a way to overcome the initial inertia.

Thankfully, my recent venture into coaching provided a newfound energy source, propelling me forward. As I began the task, momentum gradually built, renewing my motivation to press on.

(While there’s another critical reason for this transformation, I’ll save that for tomorrow 🫣.)

So, if you’re wondering how to overcome stagnation, I’d suggest prioritizing emotional stability — change requires energy.

Identify and tap into your energy sources to replenish yourself, rather than dwelling in a state of indecision.

While I can’t guarantee my response to future challenges, this experience has deepened my self-awareness:

  1. understanding my emotional tendencies
  2. the energizing effect of conversations
  3. It underscores the importance of mental preparation, often overlooked in personal growth journeys.

However, I acknowledge that not everyone shares my struggles; many naturally confront challenges head-on or maintain discipline despite emotional influence.

Anyway, reflecting on my own issues, I often wish someone could recognize or point out certain aspects to me.

Writing this serves as a reminder to myself (as a potential future leader):

Fostering mindset growth is foundational to all forms of advancement.

Also,

Strive to “see” others’ true challenges, rather than assuming their difficulties based on preconceptions.

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small2kuo

曾經以為自己是技術人,但後來發現幫助人才是自己的天職的碼農,深信用愛可以改變世界。曾待過新加坡電商,目前旅居愛爾蘭。兼職Life Coach與Career Mentor。