It’s a great place to be; your hard work and dedication are finally paying off, and you’re on your way up the ladder. You will do well to keep these 3 things in mind:
1. Stay humble: One of the things top professionals will have you know is that you can’t let success go to your head. My mentor, a senior manager in one of Nigeria’s top firms, said to me years ago, “Stay humble. Humility is the hallmark of great leaders.” I believe it.
2. Keep a low profile: Some peoples’ heads get so swollen when they taste success, they find a way to announce it everywhere they go. However, how successful you become is closely linked to how much you can shut your mouth about it. This isn’t to say you must
hide how well you are doing. If you’re good it will show and you won’t need to brag anyway.
3. Sustain it: Never take your success for granted. If you worked hard to get there, you’ll have to work hard to stay there. You need to water, fertilize and get the sunlight on your work. Nothing recedes like success. Never get complacent. Beloved comedian Joan Rivers, said, “Any form of complacency is the kiss of death for any professional.” She was on top of her game until she passed on this year at the age of 81.
Remember that success is built on success; it is cumulative. So get into the habit of putting in your best work on a daily basis, and success will not elude you.
About the writer: Joy Ehonwa is a writer, editor and online proofreader who is passionate about relationships and personal development. She runs Pinpoint Creatives, a copy-editing, ghostwriting and transcription business, and blogs at
www.anafricandiva.wordpress.com and
www.girlaware.wordpress.com
