We all crave self-motivation in our careers, the power to go the extra mile to achieve our goals and aspirations. To go above and beyond simply doing our job. When we achieve self-motivation, how do we use it? How can it be implemented into an Executive Assistant career? Self-motivation can be difficult to achieve and to harness. So here are some tips and tricks for how to harness self-motivation to succeed your EA career.
No Time for Negativity
Throughout life, we encounter those with a negative stance to life, the world, their career and their peers. Anyone can be pessimistic, and it’s difficult not to let the pessimism of others drag you down. As an Executive Assistant, never let others define who you are or how you think. You will face a range of challenges throughout your career which will test you, but never allow negative thinking to take hold. Maintaining a positive attitude and behaviours will help you take charge of your career and approach tasks with the belief that you can and will complete them. If you still find that you’re encountering issues, discuss your work with a mentor, directly work with your executive, or take your issue to HR. Your positive thinking will lead others to feel positive too.
Start at the Beginning
Growing your network and social presence is a key tool for making connections which will allow you to excel your career. But when you see your peers excelling on social media, it can make you wonder if they’ve made it to that position, and compare your own journey to theirs. No matter how many likes or how successful they are, remember that they’ve put in a lot of unseen work to get where they are. Hardly ever does anyone become an influencer overnight. The road to success is long and at times tedious, but the destination is worth the journey.
Have Goals
It is essential that the goals of an executive assistant and their executive are aligned. Assistants should focus on achieving these goals, as your success is linked to that of your executive. If your executive hasn’t yet set clear goals for your career trajectory, it’s essential to begin this conversation with them. Don’t allow yourself to become too comfortable in your daily tasks and content with sticking with the status quo. Identify areas where you can take on more responsibility, and ask your executive for projects that will serve the bigger picture (make sure that they are aware of the scope of the project). Remember that most of the time your executive will appreciate your interest in their work successes, and may reward you with more responsibility which will open doors for your career to progress.
Visualise What You Want to Achieve
Follow your dreams and goals to fruition. Ensure that you have a strategic career plan to where you want to be. Your journey to success may have many possible paths, but all of these routes will lead to the same point. Rather than getting caught up on how far down your path you feel you are, focus on the present and set yourself short term (daily or weekly) actions to get to where you want to be. Again, remember that careers aren’t built overnight, and it will take time to manifest your success. No matter how far along your career you are, it’s never too late to accept new challenges and take on new responsibilities.
Never Quit
The road to supporting c-suite executives can be, for many assistants, long, but rewarding. You’re probably used to going the extra mile for your executive, and though you may not wake up ready to do so, it’s essential you find the internal strength to keep going and get it done. Bear in mind your proudest and most important accomplishments. When you feel ready to give up, think on these accomplishments and remember what you overcame to achieve them. Exercise this self-discipline to keep going across your career, and always remain accountable to yourself, as well as your Executive. Doing your job will help you keep it, but doing your job well and going above and beyond will help you keep it and progress forward on your career journey.
Following these principles of self-motivation will keep you on the road to success. When you wake up each day, decide to give your day, your tasks, and any challenges you encounter your all. It’s okay to fall short every now and then, but it’s essential that you get back up and carry on.
Written by Francesca Hadland
