FEATURE ARTICLE

Get the Winning Edge at Work
By Lolita Villa

Have you ever felt frustrated with your work? Did you ever see your job as a vicious cycle, an ongoing parade of deadlines and tasks, with no hope of satisfaction in sight? Unfortunately, many people think of their jobs as prison walls, and labor each day as if they were digging their way uphill.

Unfortunately, prolonging this existence will make you throw in the towel before you can succeed. Gaining fulfilment from work is not a trivial matter in one's career. Statistics show that people who are happier with what they do tend to be more prosperous in their jobs. On the other hand, with the state of employment these days, it won't do to keep quitting a job until you "chance" upon something that will actually make you happy.

So how does one find that winning edge in work? How can one find fulfilment and consequently, success on the job?

According to Cynthia Kersey, author of "Be Unstoppable: Learning to Win at Work and Life," being unstoppable, or persevering against all odds, to surmount adversity, is essential in getting that winning edge, in work or life. And to be unstoppable, knowing your true purpose in life is an essential factor.

Like a fish in the water
Jane, a sales agent, followed her mother's advice to take a course that she wasn't happy with. After taking two accounting jobs and getting laid off or resigning early, she came to the thought that she was simply a failure. Fortunately, Jane decided to try a telemarketing opportunity. The job complemented her natural tendency to talk and persuade people. Within a few months on the job, she became one of the top sellers in her company! With this new "career" Jane went on to have a successful life in sales. Though it was never easy, she did not fear challenges and fought her way to the top.

What's the difference? While we may think that Jane's initial experience shows her incompetence, her later performance shows us that Jane (just like everyone else) has tremendous potential, once she was given the chance to use and develop her God-given abilities. Often, we try our best to beat a path in an area that we are not meant to trod. If you feel like this, evaluate yourself and try to find out if you belong where you are now, or are you just a fish trying to swim on dry land?

Discover your true purpose
One way to achieve sparkling success is to discover your true purpose in life. Ask yourself these questions: if you could do anything you wanted, how would your life be 5 years from now? Once you answer your question, know this secret: you can achieve that vision, given that you have the desire and the willingness to persevere in your goal.

Being unstoppable requires developing a mindset will keep you from quitting, even in the dourest of circumstance. If you want to be a high-achiever, seek to develop these four characteristics: cling to your true purpose, believe in yourself, prepare for the challenges, and persevere.

One way to discover your true purpose in life is to keep a journal. Your purpose is the unique contribution that only you can give to yourself, your family, your community, and to God. In journaling, reflect on the qualities, deeds and characteristics for which you would like to be remembered. Consider your organizations involvements, the jobs you've had, and brings you most fulfilment. After reflecting on your writing, you will discover a pattern revealing to you your innate values.

Do you think you were created to encourage others, to serve, to create, to manage? Meditate on your ideas. From this new sense of awareness, make sure that every project, job or involvement you pursue is in line with this true purpose. Determine these things and you won't have to waste years trying to discover what you ought to be doing with your life.

Believe and persevere
When you have that inner peace, echoing affirmation of this awareness, believe in yourself. Having the confidence and belief to pursue the immaterial is necessary for success. This is also called by another name: faith. Remember that what you think and believe are also the things that you will create with your actions. And it is our actions that shape our destinies.

Complement your belief system with work. Nothing beats good, old-fashioned work. Saint James once said that faith without works is dead. Take your ideas and your inspired motives and concretize them. Finally, backed up with a belief in your purpose, a sense of courage and focus, persevere in reaching your goal. Though they may sound simple, these basic steps can be achieved by taking the first step and working hard to make them into a reality.