A better toolbox

Why is it that the lives of successful people always seem to be moving toward a goal, whether it’s personal or professional? We’re not talking about the 12-hour-a-day desk drones, either. We’re talking about those among us who’ve found a way to balance work and home yet always keep moving forward.

So, what are the rest of us waiting for? Here are three ways to ensure that you refrain from standing in place, even when it seems like it’s the best course of action:

1. Add a skill: Tired of listening to your co-workers talk about the latest app or newest program? That spreadsheet program you mastered 20 years ago is no longer a stand-out skill. It’s time to study up on the applications that are driving your company forward. “Most employees would be surprised to learn that their companies are more than willing to pay for training,” says Joan Reynolds, a corporate trainer in Spokane, Wash. “Companies like to increase their in-house knowledge. It ensures they always have people in the building who can do the work.”

2. Improve a skill: We all have areas of our job that could use a little work, whether it’s mastering Adobe Experience Manager or writing more effective emails. With so much information online, you can spend a few hours sharpening those necessary processes of your job.

“A lot of times, self-guided courses are free and they can really help you understand a program you use every day,” Reynolds says.

3. Lead when you can: Take the initiative on projects in and out of the workplace. “You learn from leading, whether it’s a committee at work that is coming up with a new website or the local scout troop who is putting together the next pancake breakfast,” says Mason. “You manage people, you manage time, you manage relationships, you manage money and who knows what else. All of it is important to your professional growth, so lead whenever possible.”