First steps to stardom

I have just returned from an exhilarating morning at the European Patent Office in Rijswijk, Holland. Today, I was invited to present my Career in Your Suitcase workshop to the spouses’ group they call The Other Half.

As usual, I loved every minute of my time there. As usual, I was in the zone as I stood there and watched lightbulbs go off above the heads of the audience.

‘I am so glad I met you. Thank you SO much!’ said a German after my presentation. ‘This is just what I believe and it so nice to find someone who agrees with me.’

‘It was as if you spoke to me directly,’ said a Frenchwoman. ‘I am about to change my career and now I know what I need to do first. Thank you for showing me the way.’

This kind of comment is typical after one of my presentations. So, what is it that I shared with these people that was so unusual or exciting? Nothing. It was nothing new. It was just common sense. Here you go. In a nutshell, this is what I said:

The first thing you need to do is find your passion.
The second thing you need to do is decide what you want from your career - money, fame, lifestyle, learning, or whatever.
The third thing you need to do is grow and nurture your networks.
The fourth thing you need to do is know your market and be a shameless self-promoter.
The fifth thing you need to do is make sure what you want to do will work where you are living now.
The sixth thing you need to do is be yourself.
The seventh and hardest thing you need to do is believe in yourself.

That’s it really. Obvious, isn’t it?