Mentors are one of your most valuable career resources. Cultivate these relationships and do not hesitate to ask a mentor for guidance in your career pursuits.  Mentors can boost your confidence and empower you to overcome obstacles that they themselves have dealt with in the past.

Studies prove you are 90 times more likely to accomplish a goal when it is written down. Mary McManus used this method to achieve her own goals. She kept a 30-day journal divided into 3 sections for each day and wrote down her goals and action steps for each section. Mary, who was diagnosed with post polio syndrome at age 53, completed the 2009 Boston Marathon despite physical limitations after journaling her ambitions.

Don’t underestimate the importance of soft skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Take time to consider how well you perform in these areas and work to improve these skills which are highly valued in the professional world.

Don’t get stuck in a sensible career that doesn’t suit you. Mary Wasiak graduated from law school only to find her legal career unfulfilling. After three years working at Planned Parenthood she recognized how much she enjoyed and excelled at working with teenagers and she pursued her dream career as a teacher. Mary’s mantra: “Success is living the life that you want.”

Develop an understanding of what you do well and what sets you apart from others. Finding that thing that’s special about you and marketing yourself in this way will give you the opportunity to become a commodity in your new career.  Grace Chon traded her advertising career for a modern pet photography business. By identifying her ad agency skills and taping into her love of animals, she started a business that met the demands of a niche market.