OFF THE BOOKS
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I talk a lot about resilience and perseverance , and these characteristics have certainly served me well throughout my career . However , one of the things I was relatively slow to learn , and wish I had learned sooner , is that it ’ s okay to ask for help and seek knowledge and mentorship from others . There ’ s probably some truth in ‘ fake it ‘ til you make it ’, immersing yourself in an environment until you pick things up and are able to do the job effectively , but pretending you have it all figured out from the outset will only hamper your progress . So that ’ s the thing I would change – instead of persevering and thinking I had to overcome every challenge I faced on my own , I ’ d reach out to more knowledgeable people for their guidance and build a better support network for myself .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
For anyone aspiring to reach a C-level position in our industry , my advice is to embrace resilience and be prepared to navigate through uncertainty . The journey to the top is rarely linear ; it ’ s filled with challenges that test your resolve , creativity and ability to lead under pressure .
What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to and why ?
That would be my relentless commitment to always levelling up , and constantly asking , ‘ How can we do this better ?’ We should never rest on our laurels or just be satisfied with the status quo ; there is always room for improvement . It ’ s about setting lofty goals , breaking them down into actionable steps and maintaining the discipline to push forward , even when progress seems slow .
What ’ s your go-to productivity trick ?
I actually have three go-to productivity tricks that all work at various times depending on what I ’ m trying to achieve . They boil down to three key practices : music , running and the Pomodoro Technique . Music is my go-to when I really need to focus my mind or pull my thoughts out of a rut , whether I ’ m strategising or diving into some deep work . It ’ s amazing how the right piece of music can change your perspective and energise your thoughts . Then there ’ s running . Running is more than just exercise to me ; it ’ s a form of moving meditation . I do a lot of long-distance running , but even the shortest burst can clear my head , give me new ideas and ‘ reset ’ my energy levels . The last trick is the Pomodoro Technique , which sounds complicated but really just involves working in focused , uninterrupted sprints of 25 minutes , followed by a fiveminute break . I find that pacing myself like this helps me maintain a high level of productivity and concentration throughout the day . If anyone out there is struggling with burnout , I ’ d highly recommend it . � www . intelligentfin . tech
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