10 essential career lessons to embrace before it’s too late

Is that really the best career guidance?

People often take this sort of advice to heart and then learn too late that there’s more to life (and success) than keeping busy.

Here are 10 lessons you should take to heart now:

1. Life is short. Life is too short to put up with a job you hate, a boss who demeans you, or a company with no soul. Many people convince themselves that they can put up with a job or career situation that makes them unhappy because they need the income, because they don’t know whether they could find another job, or for some other reason. No one knows how long we have on this earth, and spending too much of it in a bad situation will only make you miserable and regretful. If you’re in this situation, take a step today—no matter how small—toward a better situation.

2. Social networks matter. You might think that networking events are dull, that it’s boring to chat with co-workers around the watercooler, or that you’re simply a born introvert, but study after study confirms that social networks are vital to our success. The most successful people tend to have the broadest and most diverse social networks. The more time and effort you put into nurturing your social networks, the more successful you are likely to be.