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Having an enriching career is a goal for many people. However, there are various elements that can contribute to your success. Many people primarily focus on the directly job-related factors that tend to impact their paths, such as skills development, attending industry events, and gaining relevant mentors.

While these aspects can be important, they’re certainly not the only contributors to your career goals. Indeed, some unexpected and seemingly unrelated factors can have a positive impact on your professional journey. It’s worth taking the time to review some of these and consider how to incorporate them into your life.

Self-Esteem

One of the frequently overlooked contributors to success is self-esteem. This isn’t about striving to achieve unrealistic beauty standards or harboring delusional beliefs about your abilities. Rather, maintaining a body-positive attitude and cultivating overall self-worth impacts professional success. This is because having a positive outlook on life and the way you feel can increase your confidence and make you more resilient to the workplace challenges you face. Not to mention that self-esteem can prompt physically healthy habits — such as a good diet and regular exercise — that help make you a more productive and energized contributor at work

You must recognize that a positive self-image is not primarily about physical elements, but psychological and emotional behaviors. Be mindful of how often you engage in negative self-talk. This is where people can often be their own worst enemies. Putting yourself down too often and unnecessarily can disrupt your confidence. Make daily efforts to recognize the positivity you bring to your life and to those around you. 

Celebrate your achievements, even the small gains. Highlight aspects of your skills and personality that contribute to effective outcomes at work and in your personal life. If you find you struggle with this, it may be helpful to seek support from a therapist. They may be able to help you identify the underlying causes of low self-esteem and introduce you to techniques to counter it.

Enriching Hobbies

Hobbies are usually considered to be separate from your professional life. After all, these tend to involve the things you do to relax after a stressful day at work. They may even give you opportunities to express aspects of your personality that you may not be able to during work. However, maintaining regular hobbies can also have a positive influence on your career trajectory.

This can be particularly effective if your hobbies involve creative or technical activities. Sculpture, 3D printing, vehicle restoration, and cosplay can be among a range of valuable pastimes. This is because these types of hobbies can stimulate parts of the brain related to greater neuroplasticity. As a result, you can cultivate better outside-of-the-box thinking, problem-solving abilities, and mental agility. These are all traits you can use in your career to positively influence projects and even discover valuable innovations.

In addition, it’s worth recognizing that your hobbies also play a role in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They provide you with enriching experiences and social opportunities that aren’t directly connected to your profession. This can put you in a better position to navigate the challenges you face throughout your career journey. Not to mention that your hobbies can provide you with reasons not to overwork, avoiding the potential for burnout that could disrupt your career.

Healthy Relationships

Relationships are another surprising factor that can influence careers, given that these are often considered a component of personal life. Perhaps the most obvious way in which they influence your professional journey is through creating strong workplace network connections. These connections aren’t just positive because they can help you identify new opportunities. Rather, truly healthy professional relationships are built on genuine mutual support. This means that you and your network members share advice and emotional support through one another’s difficult professional experiences. This can contribute to the longevity and quality of your career path.

Your personal relationships play a role here, too. Family, romantic partners, and friends are all key components of an invaluable support network. They provide encouragement as you strive toward your goals or make difficult decisions about changes. The fact that they are not connected to your industry or workplace can make them invaluable independent soundingboards. They offer safe spaces for you to vent your frustration or give voice to your loftiest ambitions without judgment.

It is, therefore, essential to make intentional efforts to cultivate healthy relationships throughout all areas of your life. This should include prioritizing clear communication to ensure everyone feels comfortable expressing their opinions. Setting solid boundaries can also be vital for mutually respectful interactions. In addition, encouraging a mutual commitment to open-mindedness can promote comfort and confidence in relationships, particularly during challenging times.

Conclusion

Alongside the more traditional influencers of career success, some unexpected elements can have a positive impact. Developing your authentic self-esteem can help you to be more confident and resilient in the workplace. Maintaining creative hobbies may also be key to stimulating invaluable cognitive processes alongside strengthening a healthy work-life balance. In addition, cultivating healthy relationships offers you vital support during challenging workplace experiences.

However, it’s important to recognize that many influencers of career paths are subjective. Take the time to explore what non-traditional and well-explored components have positive effects on your professional activities. Tailor your resources to meet your unique needs and ambitions.