Improving and developing in one’s career is paramount because it motivates them to do well in what they do and fuels them to do better. It benefits both the organization and the employee. While your company and your boss play a role in how you grow in terms of your career, a huge chunk of that growth depends on you. You are responsible in the direction of your career. And if you want to build the kind of career you’ll be proud of one day, here are some of the important things you need to do.

Start with goal-setting
One of the reasons people feel unhappy and unsatisfied with their jobs is that they don’t have a clear path or direction. They haven’t figured out what goals they want to achieve and where they want to see themselves in the months or years to come. To keep you motivated in what you do, it’s imperative that goals are established on a regular basis. Whether these are short-term or long-term goals, there should be goals set throughout the year.

Think about your day-to-day tasks. Think about what you can do to improve them. Think about what you want to achieve by the end of the month, the quarter or the year. Take note that when you do goal-setting, the goals should also be realistic and achievable.

Own your career path
Your career path may be discussed with you by your supervisor or manager but no one else can control the direction of your career better than you. Your company can provide you with opportunities, training and assistance but remember that this is your career. Whatever outcome you want to see in the end largely relies on how much effort you put into it.

Step out of your comfort zone
Achieving success sometimes requires stepping outside one’s comfort zone. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t fear stretching yourself beyond your area of expertise if you want growth and career success ultimately. While it’s great to be excellent at something and excellent at what you do, there’s no harm in learning and exploring new things. After all, learning is a lifelong process and embracing it with all your heart can take you to places you never imagined you’d reach.

Be receptive to feedback
Even if you think you’re happy with your job and are doing great at it, it doesn’t mean you should no longer open yourself to new opportunities and new learning. Learning is a lifelong process. There are always new things to learn and processes to adopt.

Also, be receptive to feedback and criticisms. There’s always a room for improvement and if you embrace these things, you’ll find them useful to further grow your career.

How your career will turn out in the end largely depends on what you do about it. And if you want to go far when it comes to your professional life, these pieces of advice should come in handy!