Feb

3

How to Create Career Karma

Filed Under Business Etiquette, Success/Career Growth, Philosophical Mumbo Jumbo 

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Karma is the philosophical or spiritual belief that the things you think, do and believe create intentions that are sent out into the universe. Like a boomerang, these come back to you, impacting your future.  Karma basically comes down to the idea that there are long-term consequences for the choices we make.

I was recently e-mailing with a wonderful, loyal reader and we discussed the idea of “career karma”. I truly believe that the choices we make in our careers definitely come back to us – in very tangible, obvious ways.

It’s a Small World
No matter what industry you’re in, it’s a smaller world than you think. Every day, people move around and get promoted. You never know when you’re going to bump into someone you worked with years ago. The lesson is – always be nice! Present yourself professionally to everyone. Always show respect because the person you manage today may end up being your boss tomorrow.

Keep Commitments
If you make a commitment to someone, it’s very important to be true to your word. You are constantly building your professional image. Once you’ve become known for being untrustworthy or disloyal, that reputation will stay with you forever. And it will spread far and wide. People working at companies miles away will hear stories of unethical and dishonest behavior. The rumor mill knows no bounds and it can impact your career for years to come.

Opportunity vs. Loyalty
While it’s important to be loyal, it’s also wise to seek opportunity. Just be careful that you don’t step on others in an effort to climb the corporate ladder. Make sure that your decisions don’t require that you stab others in the back. If that’s what you have to do to seize an opportunity, it’s just not worth it. You have a responsibility to your employer and your co-workers. Don’t burn bridges in an attempt to reach your goals. It will come back to haunt you. At the same time, you also have a responsibility to yourself. Be honest and straight forward and consider the impact your actions will have on others. You don’t have to sacrifice your own happiness for others, but don’t be totally self-consumed in your decision making process. Recognize that opportunities abound - you shouldn’t have to keep others down in order to move up.

I totally believe that Karma is a force of nature. In my career, I’ve seen it over and over again. Make smart choices and be sure that the “boomerangs” you throw bring back positive things for your career future.

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Comments

One Response to “How to Create Career Karma”

  1. Gaurav Goel on March 16th, 2008 5:59 am

    Universe certainly responds to our intentions and we create our future ourselves. We may call it our luck or whatever. At the same time, we must not ignore that we need to act and do our part to be in tandem with the universe.

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