Squirrel!

Let’s start off on the right foot

“Having a sense of purpose is having a sense of self. A course to plot is a destination to hope for.”
– Bryant H. McGill

The skinny

A little goes a long way: Digestible professional development bolsters both ambition and burnout.

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Short staffed and short straw.

Nearly half of employees simultaneously feel like their organization doesn’t have enough people to get work done and do not believe there are future career paths where they are now.

Wait, that can’t be right.

If companies are struggling to keep loyal staff, shouldn’t there be several opportunities for employees to step into roles with more responsibility?

You’d think.

Many people are operating at max capacity lately, both in and outside the office, making it difficult to devote much energy to professional development. But upskilling is proving to be an especially effective way to combat the struggles of the current recruiting and retention predicament.

Squirrel!

Make fun of contemporary attention spans all you want—gamification and microlearning are here to stay. Breaking down information into bite-sized pieces allows people to master new skills and manage their day-to-day workload.

Bon appétit.

Microlearning also can make knowledge-sharing accessible to different types of learners, bingeable for those with big appetites, and satisfying for the rest of us who like to snack. Plus, this self-paced approach makes space for employees to connect learnings directly to their work in real time.

Guess it’s time to downsize.

Ultimately, no matter how you deliver it, training materials must be relevant. While mini can be mighty, personalization is the most effective strategy there is. Helping employees reach their individual career goals speaks to their hearts rather than their heads.

Follow the yellow brick road.

Beyond pay, offering purposeful career paths to employees is both empathetic and profitable. Showing you care, more often than not, earns employers loyalty in return.

Date with Data: 82% of employees have ideas that could help their company improve, but more than a third (33%) don’t feel listened to.

Further Reading: Three Reasons to Reskill, Upskill, and Cross-Skill Your Hybrid Workforce

The skinny

Don’t put your purpose on the back burner, instead use it to fuel your day, life, and career.

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Rollercoaster.

It’s an understatement to say the economy and job market have been a wild ride over the years. Many of us have chosen jobs, and subsequently careers, often out of survival rather than purpose.

Main character energy.

From prioritizing family and health to pursuing success, connecting with nature, or advocating for justice, your purpose is a driving factor in both career- and self-fulfillment. Articulating this motivation not only spurs action but also provides a ruler to measure personal success.

Empire State of Mind.

Much like the Big Apple, purpose doesn’t sleep. In essence, you’re always training for something, and establishing unconscious habits that may be hard to break by the time you even notice ‘em.

Exhausting.

Sure, if you look at it that way. But shifting your mindset can get goal momentum going and help overcome perfectionism. When each day holds an opportunity to grow, it can ease the often-crushing pressure to perform.

Are we there yet?

Developing a personal roadmap is an excellent exercise (or at least a visible reminder) of what’s most important and the promises you’ve made to yourself. Daily, deliberate actions can be transformative to your relationships, well-being, and work.

How to: A 5-Step Guide To Finding Your True Purpose In Life

For you: 5 Opportunities to Show Up a Bit More Curious