I asked my 5 most successful friends for their career advice. Here's what they told me.

I am very lucky to be surrounded by amazing people in my life. 

They are having success in lots of areas but many of them have been highly successful in their careers.

Last month, as part of my Creative Career Level Up programme, I asked 5 of my most successful friends to share their career advice.

And now I share it with you…

1. Avoid Seeking Validation From Other People

‘Needing validation from other people to feel a sense of achievement in my career took a lot of my emotional career headspace and meant I burnt out and never felt full-filled in my goals.

I wish I had learnt sooner to set career goals based on what motivates me and what suits my life, not what will impress other people’

2. Work on Yourself

‘Work on yourself, explore yourself inwardly and take the time to work through who you are as a person. You don’t need a therapist, although they help, but take time out to work on understanding who you are and what makes you tick.

It’s easier to take preventative measures that it is to fix symptoms. 

Your mind and your emotions are like your body, you have to take them to the gym’

3. Take Risks

‘There is no better feeling when you risk and win and when you fail and learn. That is life. To risk, fall and stand up again. Take your precautions, don’t be a fool, but try always to be bold.

In that place where you take the risk is where is where the good things happen. That is a lesson for business - but also for life’

4. Be Consistent with the Basics

‘When I look back now at the great people I’ve been lucky enough to work with, the thing that would link them all together more than anything else is that they were all great at consistently delivering work and life basics.

Sure people get recognised for great work but longer term and bigger picture, you have to have the foundation of great basics - always be available for people, be organised, pick up the phone, show up every day with the right mindset, be someone everyone knows they can count on etc.

Identify the basics your role and be great at them, every single day.’

5. It’s a Marathon, not a Sprint

‘It’s a marathon not a sprint. Enjoy the process because the process is more important than the promise land. 

I felt like I got that advice, but maybe I was too young ambitious and naive to hear it. Even after working for 12+years I’ve still got twenty more to go.

It will all unfold itself, but you need to appreciate every stop and enjoy where you are and not panic and wish for the future to already be here’