As a full-time career consultant, I come across people from all walks of life each day.

From helping homemakers return to the working field, to sharing in the troubles and disappointments of the down-and-out, to encouraging aspiring job switchers, to working with high-flyers and former C-suite executives – I get to work with all kinds of people.

It has been fulfilling to celebrate with those who succeed in getting re-employed. It has also been a privilege to grow with others in the face of rejection and disappointments. But the thing I relish most is having the rare privilege to “see into the future” – to glean from the lives of others and how the choices they’ve made have brought them to where they are.

Here are 6 things that I’ve learnt and observed in the last 6 months. I hope you’ll take away something from them too.

6 TAKEAWAYS ON WORK

1. Your salary is never enough

In my experience, those who earn below half the median wage lament about not having enough just as much as those who earn more than twice the median wage.

It isn’t about how much you make – what counts is how you manage your lifestyle. When it comes to finances, it’s simply a matter of discipline and planning. I’ve worked with plenty of people who tie their worth and identity to the size of their pay cheque as well as those who are ever chasing a higher salary. The fact of the matter is, it’ll never be enough for them!

Fulfilment does not come from any external thing (wealth, status and the like), but from within. It’s when you know you are doing just what you were made to do, and when you have people around you to share life with!

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Timothy 6:6-7)

2. Define success for yourself and stick to it

I find that those who are ever chasing that next big(ger) thing are seldom presently satisfied. It’s almost as if they’re chasing somebody else’s definition of success instead of their own – be it to impress or to be known as a “somebody”.

But the truly successful enjoy every step of the way no matter how small a step it may be, for it brings them great joy knowing that they are just a little bit closer to their dreams.

I find that those who are ever chasing that next big(ger) thing are seldom presently satisfied.

Simply put, the pursuit of their dream itself brings them fulfilment! For if it’s truly a God-given dream that you’re pursuing and it’s Him that you are seeking to please, you’ll feel His delight in all that you do.

So you can be sure that you are on the right track if your answer to “What would I be doing if I were independently rich?” is “I’ll be doing exactly what I’m doing right now!”

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – American preacher Francis Chan

3. Stay humble no matter high you climb

Humility is a key trait you’ll find in people who are truly accomplished. Not only do they treat you with respect, they’re also really down-to-earth. They’re ever looking to improve, always looking ahead and they rarely talk about their past accomplishments because those already speak for themselves. The real competition for them is not about outdoing others, but striving to become all that they can be.

In contrast, those who have had some measure of success but never go beyond what they have already accomplished are ever basking in their past glories. They believe they are among the best (and therefore you should respect them), and they seldom talk about what they need to improve on – almost as if they’ve “arrived”!

As a result, the former group will only keep climbing, while the latter eventually ceases to be relevant.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)

4. Never give up

So long as they do not give up, those who continually work hard – even if they encounter setbacks or discouragement for a time – will eventually find a job no matter the odds stacked against them.

Those who pin the blame on others instead of taking ownership only ever end up going around seeking to shift the responsibility of their plight onto others. Diligent people move on with life and go on to make great progress, but sluggards often end up falling out of the race altogether.

“The sluggard craves but is never satisfied, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)

5. Take a longer-term view

One of the greatest pitfalls I’ve observed is how prone we are to trade our long-term well-being for short-term benefit.

For example, it takes a long time to cultivate bamboo shoots, while beansprouts will only take you a matter of days. But past a certain stage, the bamboo shoot will spring up at an astonishing rate. Before long, it will tower over you!

How prone we are to trade our long-term well-being for short term benefit.

This may sound harsh, but those who didn’t put in the hard work when they were younger shouldn’t be completely surprised if they someday find themselves in a dead-end job. And those who didn’t think about the long-term consequences of hopping from one company to another shouldn’t be puzzled by the lack of progress in their careers.

People who don’t plan ahead for the future will end up toiling to repay their debts. What seemed to be of little consequence at the beginning will end up costing far more than they thought they could bear.

But those who show up faithfully, who stick around even when it’s difficult, plugging away even when there seems to be no visible fruit – they will eventually reap the benefits of their labour. What’s more is that past a certain point, the rewards they reap are exponential.

“…whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

6. Don’t waste your life

How many of us are truly pursuing our passions and being paid to do what we love? I’ve served over a hundred clients and only one fits that bill. The truth is, such people hardly need our help; those who are passionate about what they do naturally do their jobs well.

My biggest takeaway of these past 6 months is the importance of investing time and effort in our youth to discover the gifts and talents God has put in us, and pursuing what He has laid upon our hearts.

The old adage rings true: People regret what they didn’t do far more than what they did do – and the clock turns back for no one!

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, if the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.” – C. T. Studd