Are You Focused on Your Career or Your Company?

Focus Is Always Critical

A simple and popular definition of focus: “the concentration of attention or energy on something.” Focus is always critical, regardless of the task or objective. Without focus, you tend to drift much like a ship without a rudder to keep it moving in its intended direction.

Conversely, if you are focused, your journey has meaning, direction and can follow a valuable roadmap, regardless of if your focus is personal or professional. For example, if you decide to become a better golfer, you could focus on aspects of your swing, visualization techniques and spend quality time on the practice tee improving your game. You will improve.

Directing and maintaining focus is typically more important than talent, ability, skill or luck. The popular Law of Attraction firmly states that the things that we focus on, good or bad, we will receive. Even those Law of Attraction detractors freely admit that those things we focus on often come to us.

The questions you should ask yourself:

• Am I focused or simply drifting through every day?
• If I am focused, what is the real object of my focus?

Focus is never more critical than its effect on your career. Some respond with, “What career? I just have a job.” This is evidence that you are not focused on your professional future (or, present, for that matter). Others respond that they are focused on their specific job and the goals of their employer. Both of these responses are serious mistakes.

The Need to Focus on Something

All humans need some sense of focus. Even while sleeping, our mind continues to work without interruption. The nature and components of these thoughts can be totally random or focused on a subject, action, goal or objective.

Constantly varying thoughts usually makes us feel unsettled. Ask those with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) how it feels to be unable to focus and control random thoughts. It can become difficult to read a book, watch TV or concentrate on any one subject. Most people feel much better when they can and do focus on something, regardless of its relative importance. When considering your career, focusing on you is essential.

Why You Should Focus on Your Career First, Then Your Company

Avoid the temptation or recommendation that you focus on your company and its goals before you focus on you. 

• Career planning is everlasting. Conscious career planning often eliminates you from taking a job—any job—simply to generate cash flow to pay your monthly bills. While employment or economic conditions may sometimes force you to adopt this poor strategy, serious focus on career planning helps you stay motivated and striving toward the job you want.
• Examine, understand and modify your career objectives in concert with your areas of interest. Have you read about those fortunate people who have turned a former passionate hobby into a successful business or career? Most who read these articles or books find these true-life stories uplifting and exciting. Others tend to feel jealous of those who had the foresight, persistence, perseverance and dedication to make this happen. If you integrate your career goals with areas that are interesting, you could have the same result.
• A focus on you also helps your company. By focusing on your current job and future career objectives, you will remain motivated, interested in, and successful at your job. Your company obviously benefits from your dedication and performance. Even if you are contemplating an employer or career change, you will achieve more at the workplace and for your current company than you ever imagined.

You may have heard experts state that you can’t help anyone else until you help yourself. Similarly, you must clearly define your goals before you can help others (your company) achieve their goals. Stated even more simply, “A happy you equals a happy employer.”

Focusing on your career, its highs and lows, makes you a smarter, more effective employee. As your professional life is infused with more meaning and importance, beyond paying your monthly bills, you become happier and more comfortable and confident in your life. Focusing primarily on company goals encourages you to disregard your personal career goals. You may even neglect important details of your own job as you keep your eyes on the company prize.

Unfortunately, this result is more common than people want to admit. For example, a sales competition offers large rewards for most new business generated in six months. Depending on your company, you and your internal competitors may disregard client first necessities, customer service and professional ethics as you focus on your company’s goal of new business. Conversely, focusing your career, maintaining your high standards of performance and professional education should allow you to be a strong player in the competition and keeps you focused on your career track.