Three Paths to Career Success
Self awareness helps you build a realistic idea of your destination
Navigating your career can feel like driving on a winding road with multiple routes. Some take the fast lane, while others enjoy the scenic route. Then there are those who know exactly where they’re headed and build their path accordingly. Which of these options is the best way to approach your career in today’s fast-paced world?
Option 1: The youngest to win the race
Stress, burnout & disappointment
In the "speed" model, you aim to outpace your peers and get to the next role as quickly as possible. It's about constantly striving for promotions, aiming to be the youngest VP or CEO in the room. For some, this drive to accelerate their career is rewarding, and it can certainly pay off if you play the game right.
If you are constantly looking over your shoulder to see who is catching up or going ahead, you are playing this game. Stress, anxiety and burnout are necessary by products of this. As the pyramid narrows, jockeying for power can be an exhausting pursuit.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook (now Meta), is an example of the “speed” approach. He founded Facebook at just 19 and quickly rose to become one of the youngest billionaires in the world. The fast lane worked for him, but it also comes with risks. Burnout, high stress, and the constant pressure to keep performing at top speed can make this strategy exhausting. Read: Beyond early success, finding true fulfillment
Option 2: Variety is the spice of my career
Journey is the reward
The "variety" model is about collecting diverse experiences. You aren’t tied to a particular role or timeline. You move across industries or functions, gaining a broad perspective that can make you a versatile professional. You may not climb the ladder as fast, but you gain a rich portfolio of experiences that can open unexpected doors.
David Bowie is a great example of someone who embraced the variety model in his career. Known primarily as a musician, Bowie continually reinvented himself, exploring different genres and personas. Beyond music, he ventured into acting, visual arts, and even tech, launching an early internet service provider in the 1990s. His willingness to take creative risks and explore multiple industries made him a versatile, iconic figure who transcended traditional career boundaries. Bowie’s adaptability and curiosity allowed him to stay relevant across decades, demonstrating the power of variety in a creative career.
Anil Kapoor, the actor, fought the unauthorized creation of his likeness through AI
Option 3: The Targeted Aspiration
Some people have a clear idea of where they want to end up and strategically plan their entire career around that goal. This approach involves carefully tracking the job description of your ideal role and acquiring the necessary skills, experiences, and credentials to make yourself the perfect fit for that position. Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, followed this model. She started as a co-op student at GM and worked her way up through various roles over three decades. Barra's career strategy was clearly aimed at the top job, and she methodically gathered the experiences necessary to lead a global automotive giant.
This model is most effective in environments where the definitions of work are shifting. The skills needed are also changing as business models change. Research by the Harvard Business Review found that today’s professionals often switch careers multiple times, with the average worker holding 12 different jobs in their lifetime. The ability to adapt and thrive in various roles is becoming more valuable than ever. The “variety” model aligns perfectly with this trend by equipping individuals with a broader skill set and more diverse experiences, making them resilient in changing job markets.
Think of this model like a heat seeking missile. It follows the target even as the path is constantly changing in real time. It needs extreme agility and adaptability.