- Executive Summary | The Dynamic Leader
- Posts
- Power Portfolio of YOU
Intro
This is dedicated to those new grads thinking their first job is going to be their last, that professional considering a career pivot, or the executive looking to productize themselves into their own business. Or wait, this is for anyone working of looking to work…
The Story
Writing about my own story took some time. Initially, I got started writing about everything else but my own experience—I didn’t know what to cover from myself and I didn’t think my experience was helpful. I thought you had to be some big celebrity or sold five businesses, or started the next Meta. Then I heard one line that changed that—“You are most powerfully positioned to help the person you once were.”
My first real corporate job, I was there nearly 15 years. I thought that would be the last company I worked for. What I’ve realized since is, if you can make the progress and develop at the rate you want in one, two, or three companies, that’s amazing, and I actually have a great deal of respect for those who can do just that. For 99% that isn’t or won’t be a reality.
If you have a sense of aspiration or a growth-oriented mind and work for aligned firms, you will actually set yourself up to grow out of most firms you work for, whether it’s reaching the realistic ceiling, you’ve exceeded the organizational capacity, or maybe lost interest because it’s time to move on. You’re building a career portfolio instead.
The career portfolio is a collage of roles building a body of work, with 6-10-15 jobs or more, not your typical 4-5 jobs in your career. You’re building an experience and expertise-filled body of work, expanding your lens, with breadth and specialties that make you a unique talent for your next role or business. You’re creating a product that is you, that will be your next company’s secret weapon or eventually, maybe the secret weapon behind the success of your future clients. You’re providing value and getting closer to being paid for that value based on the work you do.
When I think of career advice, a few points come to mind:
Rolling with life’s changes
What’s your life’s work?
Don’t be boring
Don’t wait to ask questions about your past
Power of adventures and experience
Have fun, while getting serious about your dreams and future
You must prioritize your own career and life, no one else will
As I went through my own career transformation from 2022 to 2024, I realized—I am the misfit being referenced in all these stories of entrepreneurs. That feeling of not being understood, able to expand, build, grow, and innovate with some level of autonomy and empowerment. I realized I was once wired for corporate and needed to decouple and shift to unleash my full potential and identify my path forward. I wasn’t just working in a box, I was selecting and settling in some cases for that box. Putting myself in that box! It took me nearly 3 years to determine this and nearly five since my long term corporate stint.
The revelation that changed my future—there is a tomorrow if you allow for it. Everything is temporary, but more importantly, if you plan and work towards something, versus just talk about it and hope, you can shift to a future state. Previously, I had thought of this just from a career and personal growth perspective. Now I realize, it’s working towards something that really matters. Knowing what you are working on and towards, with confidence, and acting, pulls you towards your mission. Your personal vision is attainable—when you find your focus and commit. Iterate later. Act now.
Closing
Your life’s work gives you a voice, the power, and perspective to share with others, so if you see it as more of a selfish endeavor, take a look at how your life’s work can impact others. There is immense value in helping those in the shoes you were once it - that’s how your unique ability can be used to help others. So why go through the effort beyond helping find your focus and helping others, if that’s not already enough? What if you are happy enough? What if you do find some meaning in your work already? Is it still worth the time, effort, mental commitment?
Because of the perspective you bring, your own personal value and why, you owe it to yourself to get deeper, be more intentional, discover what makes you tick, and jump off the hamster wheel to do to things your way, not the way.
—Graham Peelle, Executive Summary: Your Life’s Work: Harnessing Your Passion, Vision & Purpose
Lead10x OS | Building the Organizational Leadership Framework of the future
Supporting Content - For More to the Story
Hopefully, this added a little value to your business or leadership journey. Thank you for reading. If you think this may help someone else, please repost ♻️ or share. Thanks for being here. 🌍🏔️
Want to follow along on LinkedIn -> Hit the 🔔
Climb Higher —> Realize your potential through building up others
For additional content, check out articles on Medium.
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain
About the Author, Graham Peelle
