Some time ago I saw a movie called The Secret. Afterward, I read the book, which essentially professes you need to visualize where you are going in order to get there. A famous book quoted in The Secret is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Anthony Robbins and many other motivational gurus often talk about these same topics and inspirational ideas. There is a lot to be said about clearly visualizing where you are going. You have to know where you want your life to go and set high goals to get there.
When I was in my mid-20s I lived in Hollywood, and for a time I palled around with people who were very interested in becoming actors. After I had spent several months in the Hollywood scene, I began to notice that everyone who was interested in show business talked a big game; they always seemed to be talking about where they were going to be in a few years. Moreover, most of these people could tell you every last detail about their favorite actors and movies. In many cases, these wannabe actors and actresses littered their apartments with pictures of their idols and of the movies they liked. Every social move they made was geared toward getting to know people in the business. At night most of these people were only interested in going places and seeing people who could potentially further their acting careers. They all seemed to have a common underlying belief they needed to bring their efforts to a fever pitch in order to succeed in Hollywood. They needed to eat, breathe, think, and do everything within their power at all times to accelerate their careers. In at least two cases I know of, these people became very famous. At least once a week, I see them gracing a magazine cover or on television. Looking back, I know that what made these people so successful, ultimately, was their burning desire to achieve their dreams.
Obviously, while not everywhere is like Hollywood, you should approach your career with a massive amount of passion and a burning desire to succeed. In order to succeed, you need to visualize where your career is going and keep a fire burning within you. The further you visualize your career going, the more success you are likely to have.
There are several things I’ve noticed that really do seem to work when you visualize yourself succeeding.
The first is surrounding yourself with people who are likely to assist you in reaching your goals. For example, the actors I knew spent their time with other actors. Not only did they have a lot in common, but they also shared information about job opportunities. Furthermore, the actors also made sure they structured their social lives around meeting people who could assist them in reaching their goals. They also surrounded themselves with pictures, posters, and other paraphernalia in their homes that helped them visualize their successes.
While not everyone wants a job in television or in movies, many of us want to be someone and to achieve a successful career somewhere. Perhaps we are seeking a job with a major corporation, or a position in the medical profession, or in any number of other fields of interest. Regardless of the type of job you are seeking, the career advice is the same. I encourage you to aim high. You need to make sure you visualize the outcome of your search in order to become what you are seeking.
It is hard to state how to “become what you are seeking” and “visualize who you want to be” without describing in brief what happens in a typical job interview. If you are interviewing candidates for a blue-collar position, they are likely to come to the interview dressed in fairly average attire. They may be wearing jeans and will most likely look like a blue-collar worker. They will look and act the part the job requires in most cases. If you are interviewing someone for an executive position, on the other hand, that person will likely show up wearing a suit. They, too, will look the part.
Study the sorts of people you want to be like and the sorts of jobs you are interested in having. You need to look the part and eat, breathe, and act like the sort of person you are interested in becoming. Understanding who you want to become and studying those above you will help you rise to new levels in your career and life.
I want to bring up an important final point, one that needs to be clearly understood: It is not easy to rise up when those around you are not also rising. I have seen this happen countless times. If you are truly trying to better yourself, your career, and your life, you need to ensure that you do not let others hold you back. This is crucial. You need to have the power to really become the person you want to be, and this needs to come from inside, without any external distractions.
A few years ago, I ran into one of my old actor friends who had not made it in Hollywood. The people he knew and once ran with who became famous no longer associated with him or any of the others who had not become famous. They had fallen out of touch, which is a nice way of saying the people who had become famous had simply moved on. I noticed my old friend had somehow become much more negative than I remembered him being. He now spoke negatively about others and about Hollywood in general. He no longer had the spark and enthusiasm that could have made him a successful actor. I knew no successful people would probably want to spend time with him. His outlook and his overall attitude had taken a turn for the worse, which unfortunately could only beget more negativity and despair.
You must try to avoid feeling down or becoming negative, even in the face of adversity or missed opportunities. Hold on to your dreams and stay positive. When it comes to your career, do everything in your power to ensure that you do not give up on your dreams. Continue to focus on what you want to become until you become it.
About Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes is the Founder of BCG Attorney Search and a successful legal recruiter himself. Harrison is extremely committed to and passionate about the profession of legal placement. His firm BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys. BCG Attorney Search works with attorneys to dramatically improve their careers by leaving no stone unturned in a search and bringing out the very best in them. Harrison has placed the leaders of the nation’s top law firms, and countless associates who have gone on to lead the nation’s top law firms. There are very few firms Harrison has not made placements with. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placements attract millions of reads each year. He coaches and consults with law firms about how to dramatically improve their recruiting and retention efforts. His company LawCrossing has been ranked on the Inc. 500 twice. For more information, please visit Harrison Barnes’ bio.
About BCG Attorney Search
BCG Attorney Search matches attorneys and law firms with unparalleled expertise and drive that gets results. Known globally for its success in locating and placing attorneys in law firms of all sizes, BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys in law firms in thousands of different law firms around the country. Unlike other legal placement firms, BCG Attorney Search brings massive resources of over 150 employees to its placement efforts locating positions and opportunities that its competitors simply cannot. Every legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search is a former successful attorney who attended a top law school, worked in top law firms and brought massive drive and commitment to their work. BCG Attorney Search legal recruiters take your legal career seriously and understand attorneys. For more information, please visit www.BCGSearch.com.