Three Ways to Level Up in Your Career

And just when you think you’ve mastered the game, a new level unlocks!

LEVEL UP! PLAYER 1 HAS ENTERED A NEW STAGE. You know how Mario Kart gets a little more challenging every time you advance to the next level? Or how Pac-Man keeps moving through the maze, collecting points and avoiding distractions? Well, that’s what leveling up in real life feels like. In today’s blog post, I am sharing three ways to level up in your career.

You’ve Changed

Sometimes, you can sense when you’re shifting into a new season of life. The work that once felt difficult starts to become easier. The decisions that used to leave you second-guessing yourself become clearer. You find yourself moving with more confidence because you’ve learned lessons that you didn’t even realize were preparing you for this moment.

It’s not necessarily that the work has changed. Sometimes, you have changed.

The next level doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes, you simply notice that you’ve outgrown the way you’ve been doing things. – Dr. Debranetta

Stop Playing on Autopilot

Have you ever found yourself on autopilot? You go into work, go through your day, and go home. Leveling up in your career requires intentional growth. You cannot operate on autopilot and expect to level up. Each day should be an opportunity to do something different. Slight shifts compound and prepare you for your next level.

Get Comfortable with Change

Change is inevitable. Change is constant. We should all get comfortable with it. Let’s stick with the video game analogy. When you level up in a game, things are different and harder. But when you think about it, the earlier levels prepared you to advance. In the workplace, yesterday’s challenges may have prepared you for today’s career opportunities.

Practical Application: Let’s take AI fluency for example. AI and advanced technological capabilities. You may have mastered the tools and processes that helped you succeed in your current role, and that is great. However, the next level may require you to learn how to use AI strategically, identify opportunities for automation, or understand how emerging technologies influence business decisions. It doesn’t matter what your profession is; the way we work is changing. Let’s commit to changing with it.

Play with Your Next Level in Mind

One thing about me is that I have a strategy that spans the years ahead. This helps me to play the game with the next few levels in mind. I encourage you to jot down a high-level vision of your career. If you are more detail-oriented, go into detail. My only caution is to keep it realistic. For example, if you need a 4-year degree to pivot into a certain profession, be realistic about next year’s goals, because you will be playing the game without the proper foundation, and that can cause long-term issues.

To Wrap It Up

The workplace will keep evolving, new skills will become necessary, and opportunities will push you beyond what you already know. And just when you think you’ve mastered the game, a new level unlocks! My hope is that you lean into growth and level up one step at a time.

Now tell me: What level are you working toward in your career right now?