Making Your Career Your Career

BusinessMaking Your Career Your CareerByRodney C. Adkins,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramMay 19, 2026, 02:06pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.As your career advances, you will play many significant roles.gettyMost of us can identify with the universal recipe for success that was preached to us during our formative years. If you study hard, earn good grades, and avoid trouble, you will be accepted into a reputable college. In college, if you study hard, earn good grades, and gain some work experience, you will likely secure a good job. On the job, if you work hard, receive good performance reviews, and take the initiative in your development, you will have a successful career. In each case, whether it’s growing up, going to college, or on the job, it requires you to have some control and understanding of what’s needed during the process to ensure the strongest possible outcome.One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my career journey was the importance of being committed to playing a significant role in advancing my career. For you to make your career your career, you should always be focused on the following five questions: Do you, not your manager, have a roadmap for your career? Do you understand your development gaps for the next step on the roadmap? Do you have a network of mentors and sponsors? Are you known for something by somebody? Do you proactively invest in your skills and personal development? In this age of industrial disruption, driven by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), everyone must commit to continuous learning to remain relevant and competitive. Invest time in developing AI skills, because we are seeing a significant boost in productivity and efficiency from its use, and workers are smarter, faster, and can s...