"Fail to plan and you plan to fail" a manager of mine used to say. She was right. If you don't have a target, it's hard to miss, but it's hard to hit as well.
Having a road map or strategy is a vital part of anything we do, but we so often muddle through. We adopt the "Just Do It!" mantra. "Shut up and code!" It doesn't work for software projects and it doesn't work for our careers either.
You've also got to remember that no plan is perfect. A WWII general (whose name I forget) said "The plan is essential. The plan is useless." Plans rarely survive contact with the enemy, and they certainly won't survive contact with our lives. We've got to be able to let go of plans that run astray and reset our goals to things that matter today.
But today's topic is about your strategies, not ours. We'd like to ask you to share your best career moments. In the comments sections, or send us email if you'd prefer, tell us:
- What's the single best career move you've made?
- The worst?
- Do you have a plan today? Have you ever?
- What career advice do you wish someone had told you X years ago?
We're looking forward to reading your responses!
