Many of us spend up to 80% if not more of our week working. Whether it’s full-time in corporate, community or owning your own business, you cannot underestimate the amount of energy you put into your livelihood. So, I wanted to touch on a few strategic moves you can make to re-energize the work that you do and how you show up to make it happen.

One of the common themes I hear when working with clients is that they feel underutilized. They may feel like they’ve hit a plateau or that they should be moving up more quickly, but it’s just not happening the way they thought it would.

As I always say, this is an easy fix if you are willing to make a few changes to how you present yourself to the world. It’s not just about what you do but who you are and how you show up that matters.

So, I want to dive in and share a few insights and inspiration to help those of you feeling a bit lackluster about your day to day – to help you regain momentum and carve out a more fulfilling path that not only energizes you to get up in the morning but drives you to continue to create and contribute at a high level.

Here are a few areas of focus that can help you step up and stand out more: 

1.        Reclaiming Your Influence

It’s all about how to position yourself as a thought leader and gain the recognition you deserve. You may feel this doesn’t apply to you if you are not a leader but think of this as being a highly engaged contributor in anything you do. How are you showing up? Are you there to find the solution and work in collaboration or not? How you contribute can make all the difference in the world, so show up and get engaged.

2.        Power of Personal Branding

Personal branding is defined as the strategic and intentional process of defining and communicating your unique value, skills, and experiences, aiming to create a positive and memorable image. 

So how do you best articulate to others who you are and what we have to contribute? The answer is you start LIVING IT. In your words, actions and contributions – embrace your value and speak your truth. This is something that is so often overlooked, especially in the corporate world where we tend to blend in and let the cultural norms take control over what we say and how we act.

I am here to tell you – fitting in is NO LONGER IN! In fact, the more you show your brilliant color and the unique contributions you are here to make - the more opportunities will come your way. There is a whole other aspect to this when it comes to showing up and representing your brand from a marketing and networking perspective – but this is just step 1! 

3.        Shifting From Invisible to Invaluable

Visibility comes from strategic actions like networking, sharing insights, and taking initiative. It’s all about contribution that will make you more visible and if you’re sharing information that can help people, your value immediately goes up. Here are a few strategies:

• Volunteering for high-profile projects.
• Speaking up in meetings and contributing valuable insights.
• Finding a mentor or sponsor to advocate for you.
• Writing thought pieces on industry trends to showcase expertise.

4. Expanding Your Network with Purpose

This is all about leveraging your connections to create new career possibilities. Effective networking is about building genuine relationships, not just collecting contacts. Here are a few tips to tap into your network and make it work for you.

• Using LinkedIn strategically to connect with industry leaders.
• Attending industry events and making meaningful connections.
• Asking for informational interviews to learn from others.
• Offering value first before seeking opportunities.

5. Showing up and Feeling Confident

Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome to step into your full potential. When you have those thoughts that we’ve all had that maybe it’s a fluke that you are in the room with a bunch of high achievers or that you don’t deserve to be where you are, you know it’s time to reframe your inner narrative.

Start owning your achievements by recalling all of your past wins. Our brain latches onto evidence and providing that for yourself will help you overcome those feelings of inadequacy – reminding you that you are exactly where you need to be and are deserving of it all. 

A twist to this is the realization that you are capable and deserving for SO MUCH more! So, if you are feeling underwhelmed by where you are in your career, it may be time to re-examine the changes needed for you to find greater fulfillment.

6. Creating Meaningful Work on Your Terms

Design a career that aligns with your values, strengths, and ambitions. This will be difficult concentrate on ‘doing’ and neglect what really makes you tick. In this case, it may be time to ask yourself a few questions:

• What impact do you want to make?
• What problems excite you to solve?
• Who do you want to serve?
• What kind of work environment energizes you?
  
  

7.        Self-Promotion (Without Feeling Sleazy)  

This is all about mastering the balance between humility and visibility and can feel trickier than it is. We all like to think that we are not braggers and some of us may even feel uncomfortable when attention is given to us. However, what I’ve learned from owning my own business is at the end of the day – self-promotion is NOT about YOU!

It’s about showcasing how you contribute to the greater good and sharing your gifts to make the world a better place. When you start looking at all of this through the lens of service – your entire game will change.

So go out there with these few shifts in mind and you will begin to see positive changes in how you feel about your work and most importantly, how you feel about yourself and all the goodness you have to bring out into the world.