Tag Archives: gold medal

5 Tips for Gold Medal Job Performance

happiness_at_work_webAthletes from around the world will soon compete for a spot on the winners’ podium. While winning is quite the accomplishment in itself, we all know the true goal each athlete strives for is bringing home a gold medal. Similarly, as a job seeker or even as a new employee, you should be striving for more in your professional life. As you work to achieve a gold medal in job performance, we’ve compiled these five tips to help.

1. Set clear goals
No athlete makes it to the top without setting clear goals. While the long-term objective of any athlete is to finish first, most set milestones along the way to help them reach that success. The same goes for your professional life. As you strive for gold medal performance, set clear goals to guide you along your path to your best job performance.

2. Dedication
The world’s finest athletes are arguably the most dedicated athletes on the planet. They spend years training for the chance to be the best. But, the training is done on a day by day basis. It’s something these athletes wake up thinking about and fall asleep dreaming of. They are dedicated to their sport, adhering to the strictest of diets, training regimes, and rituals. For you, dedication to your profession is just as important to be at the top of your game. Use every day as an opportunity to be a better professional than you were the day before by finding new development opportunities.

3. Know your limits
As training intensifies, athletes have to be aware of their body’s limitations. When they push themselves too hard, they can end up injured or exhausted. When it comes to job performance, you also need to know your limits. If you take on more than you can handle, you’re less likely to provide stellar results. Instead, focus on pushing yourself to do things to the best of your ability without overdoing it.

4.  Play like a team
Teamwork is just as important in the office as it is on the court. Fostering healthy relationships with your peers can help you grow as a professional, learn things you may not have known before, and get efficient, positive results.

5. Don’t fear failure
In competition, only one person or team gets to take home the gold. For those who go home with silver, bronze, or nothing at all, they have a choice. They can either give up and be done competing, or they can learn from their experience and continue training to compete again. In your career, failure is a possibility. Instead of fearing it, accept it when it happens and make a mental choice to continue striving for the gold.

How do you work toward gold medal performance in the office? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Job Search Lessons from 2014 Olympics

Gold_Medal_Feb2014Do you have aspirations of getting a better job or growing your career? Watching the Olympics could help. Every time the Olympic Games roll around, I enjoy watching different athletes from across the world compete, and I anticipate seeing my favorite athletes win gold. This year, that was not the case for one of my favorite sports to watch: snowboarding. But instead of turning off the TV as soon as I realized my favorite snowboarder and two-time gold medalist, Shaun White, wasn’t going to place, I decided to stay tuned in to see who won. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

Get Back Up and Don’t Give Up

It’s a tough fact of life to learn; you don’t always win, no matter how hard you try or how far in advance you prepare. That fact was made evident during the final halfpipe competition in Sochi. While watching the Olympics, I was reminded that no matter how much a professional athlete prepares, they may not win, but that doesn’t mean they give up. Soon after the halfpipe competition was over, Shaun was interviewed and asked what happened. Instead of blaming it on the snow or the conditions, he said he’d be back next time and he was happy for the guys who did well! What a great attitude to have! We can learn so much from that statement itself. Just because you haven’t landed a job or moved up in your company as fast as you’d like, it doesn’t mean you need to give up or stop trying. The agony of defeat is never easy to handle, but getting back up, working hard, and trying again will help improve your skills and chances of getting that new job or promotion you’ve been looking for.

Learn from Your Mistakes

Unfortunately, making mistakes is a normal part of life. Failure even happens to the best of the best. What’s important to learn from Olympic winners and even those who won’t be taking home a medal is that these athletes don’t let mistakes defeat them. In fact, you’ll probably see many of the same athletes in four years at the next Winter Olympics. It’s important to learn from your mistakes, make the corrections that are needed, and use those lessons to help shape your future. If you’ve been looking for a new job for a while or if you’re ready to go to the next level in your current job, take a look back at what has been slowing you down in the past or getting you off track and work to take care of those mistakes so you won’t drag that baggage with you to the next level. Also, seek feedback from co-workers or friends and make necessary changes.

What are some lessons you’ve learned from the Olympics? Share with us in the comments section below!