3 Ways To Make The Most Of Where You Are So You Can Get Where You Want To Be

3 Ways to be Kinder to Yourself 9 Qualities That Make Women Natural L...

3 Ways To Make The Most Of Where You Are So You Can Get Where You Want To Be

In 2007 Ursula Burns became the president of Xerox Corporation. In 2009 she became the CEO, and in 2010 she was also named Chairman of Xerox. That’s quite a success story, but like all success stories, there is a beginning. For Ms. Burns, that beginning was as in intern for Xerox in 1980. During her journey, she made the most of where she was to get to where she wanted to be. If you want to do the same, here are three tips:

Learn the lesson the first time
Someone has said that life keeps giving us lessons to be learned. If we fail to learn them, life simply repeats the lesson. I take that as a metaphor and it’s a powerful one. Let’s say you’re in a job where you think your boss is an idiot and you should be the boss. What’s the lesson here that can help you get from where you are to where you want to be?

Maybe the lesson is it’s time you moved on because your company doesn't know what talent is. You can keep making excuses for why you can’t quit your job or you can learn the lesson and move on. Or maybe the lesson is you have a blind spot and you don’t see you’re not ready to be the boss yet. You can focus on your boss being an idiot and maybe you're right. But you'd still be missing the lesson that you're not ready to step into the boss role.

Are you really ready to be “there” yet?
Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” What does that mean for you in terms of getting to be where you want to be? How about this: You can’t say, “You ought to promote me now” or “You should love me now and then I’ll be what you’re looking for." You have to ask, “What are you wanting and needing” and then see if there’s a gap between what is wanted and what you have to offer.

If you want to be promoted or be given a raise you have to ask your boss how you can close the gap from where you are now to where you want to be. Then you have to produce the results that will tell management you should be "there" instead of "here." Until you do that, you’re not ready for where you want to be.

Be happy where you are and you’ll get “there” faster
The old model for living a happy life was “Get a degree, make something of yourself, be successful and you’ll be happy.” The problem is too many still believe the old model works. What we thought would make us happy doesn’t and then we’re left confused, tired and even burned-out. If you want to get to where you want to be faster, start with being happier with what you have and where you’re at now.

It’s hard to get to where you want to be if you’re miserable where you are now. One of the biggest happiness myths is, "I'll be happy when..." However, if you make the most of where you are now, and come from a place of gratitude for what you have now, you’ll attract the attention of the people who can help you get where you want to be. Don't wait until you get "there" to be happy. Be happier now so you'll enjoy the journey along the way.