How to become a go-getter

In my last post I described the story of a young girl who grew up in a third-world country, and who dreamt of exploring her potential and ultimately being successful in achieving a meaningful career. She was offered a rare opportunity to experience life in the western hemisphere. Facing great adversity, and without knowing a single soul in the new country, she decided to take the opportunity and pursue her dreams.

Here’s what happened next:

The young girl moved to the USA to begin her new assignment, where she thrived. While working, she went to school to pursue the studies she would not have been able to pursue had she stayed in her country. Equipped with her new education, her new-found independence and her burning desire to explore every bit of her own potential, she rose quickly through the corporate ranks. When opportunities were presented, she took them, even when at the beginning she wasn’t sure she could deliver. Frequently, she would pause to assess: her stage in life, her next goals and her abilities. Many other achievements followed; she took on new assignments with enthusiasm, tackled them with positivity and passion, and throughout, she carried herself with a good dose of humility. Always a life-long learner, she continued to be curious about things, and was able to attain a number of senior executive positions throughout her professional career.

She followed her heart, regretted nothing, worked hard, and had a successful life. Never one to forget her roots, she often looked back and was grateful for the immense luck and the good decisions that she made with the help of her family and closest supporters.

What is there to learn from this story?

How can you become a go-getter? Let’s break it down!

Let’s say you’ve reached a crossroads with your career. You’ve been at a job for a few years and you’re starting to get a bit too comfortable. You’re worried about getting complacent to the point that soon you may not want to make an effort to grow. Yet you do somehow want that higher (or different) position… but it’s so much work getting there! What do you do?

To be a go-getter you must begin with enthusiasm. Taking action is the first step in becoming a go-getter. That’s easier said than done. However if you really want something, you’ll recognize that you have to work for it and take that first step. To some, this may sound daunting: What do you mean, take the first step? How many steps are there? What if I don’t succeed? There’s a wonderful life lesson here: If you fail, know that you’re in good company; all great successes have failed – some several times before they’ve succeeded. All you have to do is keep working at it! Make many mistakes! Just learn from the mistake, and watch that you don’t make it again.

Becoming a go-getter starts with the mind. You can be the master of your mind by exercising control over it. Here’s how:

1. A good, positive attitude will keep negative and procrastinating thoughts at bay. Negative thoughts can easily bring you down and drain you.
2. Be aware of your thoughts and how you manage them. I often suggest visualizing a “delete” button. Use the button each time you find yourself chasing a negative thought pattern.
3. Keep your positive, encouraging thoughts, and keep recalling them. Use a “save” button for these. They will inspire and motivate you to move forward with your plans and goals.
4. Try saying your goal out loud, or writing it down. The power of voicing your goals out loud is powerful. Writing them down makes them stick in your memory, reminding you to work on them from time to time.
5. Another trick is to think of all the assets that make you who you are. Keeping in touch with your strengths can be an amazing confidence-booster.
6. Remember that even before confidence, you need to begin from a place of humility. Humility allows us to know and accept who we are, warts and all — and to recognize that we are creatures who have the potential to eternally grow and learn. What a gift this is!
7. Recognizing and opening up your mind to learn is so powerful! It allows you to realize that you can, and will, work hard to achieve what you desire, while putting less “pressure” on you. Your hard work will get you to your goal, even if it takes a while.
8. To be a go-getter you must know how to win people over with your personality. Having a positive and light-hearted sense of humor not only puts you in a better mood, it increases the happiness quotient of all those around you.
9. Make small achievements; do things incrementally. Don’t try to do everything at once and then beat yourself up if you haven’t finished everything. Every step you take is a step forward. Every little accomplishment is taking you closer to your goal. Working incrementally can be very satisfying while urging you on.
10. Have fun with your journey! Even if it’s hard work now, it’s ultimately going to get you to where you want to be!

To sum it all up – the good news is……

You can be a go-getter! Anyone can be one. This is not something we are born with. Rather it is purposefully cultivated through lived experience, through learning from others, through just an innate desire to have something.

On a daily basis, resolve to explore beyond your comfort zone and gradually head toward your goals. If you adopt, cultivate and practise the characteristics of a go-getter within yourself, you will succeed in whatever you set out to do.

Are you ready to be a go-getter? If so, reach out to me at bernadette@gogettercoaching.com — and get ready to explore the possibilities that are out there waiting for you!

I can’t wait to meet you!