new generation

Younger generations are always ready to spread their wings and show what they can do. They’re full of energy, passion, ideas, and a lot of drive to prove something. They didn’t get there on their own, and they know that. And the best of each new generation eventually realizes that it’s important to learn from older ones.

But advice can come from all angles and be very confusing for young professionals. Should they listen to the internet gurus who blog and podcast all day? Should they listen to their peers who are already successful? Should they only listen to the rich and powerful or do the less powerful have wisdom worth heeding?

And what type of advice is important? Is success merely about your corporate identity or is there more to it than that? Lastly, why should they care?

With that, let’s talk about several vital bits of advice for you young professionals.

It’s Not Just Business, It’s Also Pleasure

There are a lot of “hustle” gurus writing books strictly about being about to grind and grit your way to success. Now, there’s something virtuous about being able to tap into your grit because that’s important. But it’s not just about putting up with tough things. Hopefully, your future looks a little less war-like than that.

You shouldn’t apologize for chasing after your dream job. And though most people can’t attain that lofty ideal situation, they can still land an enjoyable career path. You should definitely show grit because the path to success will test you. One way where you can find their dream job is through Lensa, a job search platform that values potential of young professionals. But the path can also be enjoyed along the way. If it’s not, you might find yourself in burnout mode a lot faster than you think.

Your Physical Health Matters

Middle-aged bad habits tend to start early. As young professionals enter the workforce, they’ll be tested early and often. Maybe that first boss will be a total nightmare. Maybe those early jobs will be passionless and frustrating. Maybe they’ll find a hard time balancing their social life with work (more on that later).

In the middle of these trials, it’s easy to avoid self-care and simple things like good hygiene. Young professionals should make a commitment to themselves, first and foremost, before selling their soul to their company.

Make time for exercise. Get outside. Eat healthily. Don’t give in to the temptation to zombie-out at home after work every day, eating all the sugar and grease available to you. Be intentional about taking care of your body. You only get one, and your health plays a large part in other areas of your life, including your career believe it or not.

advice

Your Mental Health Matters

Along the same lines of physical health, it’s important to care for your mental health. Nowadays, it’s becoming easier to talk about things like depression and anxiety. This is a good thing.

Many companies offer access to free or reduced-priced counseling. Make use of that if it’s available to you. Consider paying for a life coach or counselor once a month, too. It’s nice to have good feedback from a third party on your life.

Never Stop Learning

One of the biggest mistakes that we make as we get older is to think we’ve finally arrived and that there’s nothing left to learn. We assume no one has anything left to teach us. That lack of humility is generally the start of every great professional fall.

It’s important to learn the art of asking good questions and listening well. Most people do a bad job at both. But if you examine truly successful people, you’ll find that most of them are good at these.

Read good books. Take on new challenges that you don’t have the immediate answers for. Instead of assuming your superiors have nothing left to teach you, pay attention to what you wish they were teaching you and go seek those out. Be creative and look in unordinary places for wisdom and encouragement.

Your Social Life Matters

You’ll hear stories from some of the world’s richest people about how they gave up having fun and making friends so they could pave the path to their success. That might sound tempting but it’s also a horrible way to live. Most of us aren’t destined for friendless billionaire status, so maybe we shouldn’t give up on the joys of life so soon.

Don’t be afraid to find love. Don’t assume that you have to give up on having friends and going out at night. Make plans to travel and see new things. Read for fun. Join a club. Have hobbies. The absence of these things is not a requirement for success in life. And if your boss says it is, then consider finding a new boss or work hard to prove him/her wrong.

Being good at having a life is often important to have a good career. For starters, every job you have will have other humans you have to work with. If you don’t know how to lighten up, you’ll be the person nobody wants to work with.

Less Than Ordinary

These tips may be antithetical to what some gurus suggest and they might sound like something you’d hear in a Tony Robbins seminar as opposed to a Warren Buffet seminar. But true success is about a holistic and healthy approach to life. The sooner you learn that the better life you’ll live.