The 10 worst career mistakes you have to avoid

About to launch yourself into the world working world or feeling a little rudderless in your current job? Andrew Ferebee, CEO of Knowledge for Men, has shared his thoughts on the biggest career mistakes you need to steer clear of to be happy, successful and content.

The internet has drastically changed the landscape of the workforce in 2017.

Things like blogging which were once considered hobbies are now widely respected careers that can bring in 7–8 figures.

However, the mindset of the general populace has changed much more slowly.

Most people still operate on outdated beliefs and ideas about what a career “should” be and how your life “should” look.

And it’s easy to get sucked into these beliefs and make mistakes that could cost you years of your life and thousands of dollars.

Here are the most common mistakes that I have seen after consulting hundreds of guys on their careers and businesses.

1. Listening to Your Family

This might sound harsh, but it’s true.

Just because your family wants what is best for you doesn’t mean they know what is best for you.

If your mom or dad is giving you career advice that flies in the face of what you truly want, tell them that you love them and then completely ignore whatever they said.

2. Doing it JUST for the Money

Never take a job just because of the money.

It’s actually a lot easier to make money than you might imagine and taking a job that you hate that damages your health and relationships is NEVER worth it.

3. Doing it JUST for the Impact

I know plenty of guys who work in social service or charity and while they love their jobs, they are CONSTANTLY stressed.

Just because you love something doesn’t make it a great career decision.

Ideally, you want something that you enjoy, that brings a positive impact into the world, AND pays you enough to live comfortably and enjoy a high quality of life.

4. Not Taking the Time to Understand Yourself

Perhaps the biggest mistake of all…

If you haven’t invested in your personal growth and really taken the time to figure out who you are, then how in the hell do you expect to make wise career moves?

The first step in any great endeavor is self-knowledge.

Understand yourself and your career decisions will all make sense.

5. Not Standing Up for Yourself

Look, if you have been hustling your ass off for five years, consistently bringing in more value and revenue than anyone else in your office, you deserve a raise and a promotion.

Period…

But most companies won’t just give it to you.

You have to buck up and ask for it.

Stand up for yourself, know your worth and go get what you are worth.

6. Developing a Broad Focus

If you want to be highly paid and highly sought after, then you need to become a master at what you do.

Think about it…

-Tony Robbins and Brendon Burchard are MASTERS of high performance and personal transformation

-Daymond John is a MASTER of fashion

-Grant Cardone and Dean Graziosi are MASTERS of real estate

Everyone who is great is a master of their craft… Period.

That’s not to say that you can’t be good at several disciplines, but you need to pick a craft and master it if you want to thrive in today’s economy.

7. Not Networking

You never know when someone will change your life forever.

And you never WILL know if you don’t start networking.

Commit to meet at least 3 new people each week through masterminds, seminars, meetups etc.

Network, network, network and you will be amazed at what happens in your life.

8. Not Developing Your Own Brand

Whether you are an employee or entrepreneur, you need to develop your own personal brand.

You need a website where you share your thoughts, opinions, and expertise.

Why?

Because we live in a world where brands dominate, and if you are seen as an influencer you are going to be more desirable to work with.

Oh, and I’ve also had friends who have used this tactic and built a full time career from what was supposed to be their personal blog.

Now they are six figure bloggers and consultants who work from home…

9. Not Investing In Yourself

If you want to have a great career, then you’ve gotta invest in yourself.

You need to attend seminars, read books, hire a coach, and turn yourself into a powerhouse of productivity and performance.

10. Thinking that Your Career is Everything

At the end of the day, what will matter most to you is not the job that you worked or the business you built, but the people who were involved in the process.

Family, friends, co-workers…

That’s what is really important and that’s what really matters.

I know millionaires who are miserable and I know people earning $40,000 a year who are fulfilled.

Your career and financial success matter! But they should never come at the expense of the people that you love.

This article originally appeared on Quora.

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