Success Advice
The Best Career Advice You’ll Ever Get
Listen up – this is going to be the best career advice you’ll ever get.
Are you an expert?
If not – You damn well should be.
Deep domain expertise is essential to really thrive in your working environment – especially in our modern society.
Why?
The world is speeding up faster and faster; We have an unseen rate of technological improvements, a demographic explosion, declining fossil fuels, an economic shift to Asia and so-on.
Basically; the world is getting more and more competitive by the day and you don’t want to be left behind, right?
You want to be prepared for what’s coming.
Here’s how:
Camels & Bananas
Ever since the paleolithic era we’ve been fighting over scarce resources. Whether this was food, shelter or trendy sabretooth skirts.
Times have changed – but the essence remains the same; it’s resources we’re after.
Money mainly.
In the old days, we used to have a trading system where hunters would trade their catch with fishers for example. This is an equal exchange of value of differently skilled people.
The same concept still applies today. Money simply has made trading your entire life easier (This way you don’t have to barter anymore about how many camels your banana’s are worth.)
Simplicity!
- You pay money in the supermarket so you don’t have to grow your own crops
- You pay money to the dentist so you don’t have to learn how to pull your own teeth
- You pay money to the plumber so you don’t have to manually declog your own sink.
This system allows us to tap into the expertise of others. The more difficult the task, the more money they get.
Being able to do what others cannot is what makes you valuable.
Anyone can sell shoes, anyone can run behind a dumpster truck, anyone can sell fast-food. But not everyone knows how to build a house, lay electrical wiring or perform an open-heart-surgery. The more difficult and in-demand your skills are – the higher your pay-grade will rise.
If you want more income – You have to deserve it first.
How?
By building up difficult skills that are high in demand based on your strengths.
For illustrative purposes I’ve made this fancy info-graphic;
This means that the barrier of entry for competitors will be high (less competition) and you work in a field where your skills are highly valued.
Additionally, building on strength gives you an “edge” on others.
Sounds sweet right?
So what are strengths?
Strengths are the things we naturally excel at – the things that come “naturally” to us.
Build. On. Them.
“One should waste as little effort as possible on improving areas of low competence. It takes far more energy to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first rate performance to excellence” – Peter Drucker
So how do you start?
How Do I Find My Strengths?
You find strength through self-analysis
The best way I’ve found to do this is by keeping a journal of my life in which I’m able to spot different trends. Over time you’ll be able to hone down on what you’re really good at.
“Know thyself” – Socrates
Here are three ways to discover your strengths:
1. Self-Assessment
Here are some questions you should ask yourself when looking for your personal strengths:
- In what did I grow up around? Competence can arise from early practice, what types of activities were you involved in as a child?
- What do strangers compliment me on? You/your direct surroundings often notice your natural strengths faster than you do. Just ask around.
- What did I want to become as a child? What were the underlying trends?
- What have I been doing the last 10 years? Competence comes from doing a certain thing for a long period of time.
- What can I effortlessly talk about without losing drive?An interesting topic is most likely something you’re highly skilled at or highly interested in.
- What are the things I effortlessly excel at? What activities come easy for you?
- In what areas do I learn quickly? Some skills are perfectly suited to our temperament and therefore we’re able to pick these up much faster than others.
- Who do I envy/admire? Jealousy is a nasty but beautiful emotion as it shows us what we truly want. The same goes for admiration.
2. Reading
Furthermore, a great book that will help you find more strengths is Managing Oneself by Peter F. Drucker.
Read the summary and define for yourself:
- Am I a reader or a listener?
- How do I learn best?
- Do I work well with others or do I perform better alone?
- Do I produce results as decision maker or as an adviser?
- Do I perform well under stress or do I need a structured environment?
Alright – what’s next?
3. Personality Tests
A great way to explore further is by doing some personality tests (although they are often too general – it’s quite likely that they’ll give you some more career-indicators)
Here are the ones I recommend:
- MBTI-test
- DISC-assessment
- Enneagram
Learn more about each type by simply Googling the results you’ve gotten.
Put all of these answers in a separate word-sheet and try to determine for yourself the answer to this question;
How can I combine my skills (based on strength) and my interests to solve a need for other people?
Now go do exactly that.
Going Deeper
In our current information society it might be not enough to be simply highly skilled in only one particular field. The combination of different, highly valued skills is also often what elevates your pay-grade.
Here’s some other tips to prepare for the future:
- Learn how to learn. Optimize your learning process.
- Life-long learning. Never stop growing – aspire to become a polymath (a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.)
- Keep track of global trends. Where is the world going and how can I prepare for this? Especially the technological boom is very prominent – stay ahead of the robots!
- Work for yourself. Everyone will need to become an entrepreneur in the future
Essence
The world is an inherently competitive place. You’ll need an edge to become indispensable & the only way to become indispensable is to excel at things others cannot do.
Competence at a skill will lead to enjoying the activity more – enjoying it more means you’ll be doing it more which in turn makes you more competent.
It’s an endless loop.
Eventually you’ll start to love it and it’ll become your “passion”. So don’t go searching for something until it “feels just right” but create it by building on strengths. Don’t waste time and energy on an endless passion-chase.
Note: Strengths are solely performance indicators (not unchangeable truths). So don’t obsess about them. You can still “be whoever you want to be”, but you won’t perform optimally if you build your life on weakness. It can be stretched – just not indefinitely.
“Successful careers are not planned. They develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they know their strengths, their method of work, and their values. – Peter F. Drucker
So tell me;
What are your strengths?
I hope this advice is timely for you. There’s so much wasted time & energy (and frustration) in fields where we just don’t have a natural advantage in. And the world is simply too much of a competitive place not to use this.
- Why can’t I perform like colleague x?
- Why do I need to put in all this effort when colleague y is slacking to get the same results?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post! I hope you liked it. If you think someone you know might benefit from this post be sure to share it around. If you’re having anymore thoughts or questions about this topic, feel free to share them with me in the comment section below!
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How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog
If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers
Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky.
This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for.
For more articles on this theme, please head over to this blog https://blog.partners1xbet.com/.
Understanding Affiliate Marketing
Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works.
Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it.
It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.
How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog
1. Assess Your Niche and Audience
The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:
- Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
- Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.
2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs
Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:
- Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
- Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
- Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.
3. Evaluate the Commission Structure
The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:
- The percentage of commission per sale.
- Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
- The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.
4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness
Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:
- Read reviews from other affiliates.
- Check the program’s history and background.
- Look for any complaints or issues reported online.
5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered
A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.
6. Understand the Terms and Conditions
Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:
- Payment thresholds and methods.
- Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
- The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.
7. Test the Product or Service
If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.
8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities
Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.
Implementing Your Choice
After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:
- Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
- Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
- Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs.
If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers.
The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice.
With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.
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