Go Big In Your Career

In The Big Lebowski, after getting set for life thanks to royalties from an unknown source and past, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski stopped bothering with life and just took his time with things like bowling. The Dude stopped trying to achieve more.

While everyone else was chasing a fortune or trying to throw their weight around, The Dude just wanted to replace the rug that some annoying nihilists stole. Many of us are like The Dude satisfied with what we have when we really want and can achieve so much more. We settle for being solo contributors, counsel, or non-equity partners when we want more.

When I had these self-limiting beliefs, they were out of fear of failing and getting judged for trying to learn new skills. And I was frustrated.

Here are some of my tips for thinking bigger in your career:

ASSESS WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR CAREER

Set aside 30-60 minutes to list everything you want in your career and your life as it relates to it. Do this when your mind is clear and there are no distractions. Do not limit yourself; be honest about what you would like. Think about others' careers and how you feel about them. What do you like? What do you want to avoid? Write down everything in a stream of consciousness and see what happens. Include small goals, big goals, wild dreams, business ideas, assignments you would love, committees or groups you would like a seat on, a conference you'd like to attend, or where you feel called to serve.

‍Write it all down without judgment or further thought into it. ‍

NOW, Think Bigger. Write down the bigger audacious goals. Be bold in this process. Put the ones down you feel a little afraid to write on paper because they seem ridiculous. They're not. They're imaginative and they deserve a space on the list.

BREAKING DOWN THE LIST OF COMFORT ZONES

Take a good look at what you've written down.

Put a T by the goals that seem more like a task or project. We associate these items as goals but fall into the to-do and project categories. We include these because we feel most comfortable in our abilities to accomplish them.

Circle the goals you could achieve with the proper help and systems. These goals are the stepping stones to the bigger goal and make you a little uneasy but with a desire to begin. These goals should also excite and engage you but may be slightly scary.‍

Highlight the bigger goals that light your fire. These are the scary goals, the ones that make you nervous. And you are usually unsure you can achieve them.

Lastly, rewrite each of the goals that fall into the Task/Project (comfortable), Achievable Goals (doable), and Big Goals (nervous) onto its own sheet of paper.

Categorizing the goals by our comfort zones will help you realize why it can be challenging to pursue them fully. The objectives in the task/project list tend to hijack everything else because they feel manageable, more comfortable to accomplish, and essential in the moment. That's why we're giving them their own space. Moreover, it is also why you want to chunk the more extensive, scarier goals into smaller actionable steps that seem more achievable.‍

ACTION STEPS‍

After writing down all the goals, deciding exactly where and how to start is usually challenging. Begin by choosing up to five goals on each list to tackle. After you decide what you want to begin with, break them into smaller actionable steps that you can take that are manageable. Do not focus on the larger goal but on the smaller components—calendar time to take the necessary actions.

It is time to take control of your career, courage, and compensation. Don't worry about what others or you think about stepping out to achieve what you want. And think more like The Dude who believes, "I can't be worrying about that sh*t. Life goes on, man." Instead, take steps to create the career you really want rather than the one you think you can easily attain. You got this.‍

PLAN‍

After writing down all the goals, deciding exactly where and how to start is usually challenging. Begin by choosing up to five goals on each list to tackle. After you decide what you want to begin with, break them into smaller actionable steps that you can take that are manageable. Do not focus on the larger goal but on the smaller components—calendar time to take the necessary actions.

It is time to take control of your career, courage, and compensation. Don't worry about what others or you think about stepping out to achieve what you want. And think more like the Dude who believes, "I can't be worrying about that sh*t. Life goes on, man." Instead, take steps to create the career you want rather than the one you can easily attain. You got this.‍

TAKE ACTION AND BE ACCOUNTABLE‍

Now you need to execute your plan. Here is the hard truth: you can put all the hard work into planning, and nothing will happen if you don't act. Building accountability in your plan is the best way to ensure this happens.

This can be through an accountability partner, coach, or calendaring time for actions and reviews.

By taking these steps, you can attain what you want and create the career and life you desire.

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Want to learn more about how to become the in-house leader you are meant to be?

Check out Sheila's 10 Tips for In-House Counsel Struggling to Advance.

In this guide, Sheila shares her time-tested tips for in-house counsel to release fear, jump-start your career, and propel towards promotion.