Summer is upon us! Kids will be getting out of school, pools will be opening, and folks will be heading off to vacation soon. Summer brings a vibe that for lack of a better word just feels lighter. That said, summer also brings a lot of planning and logistics with it. Vacation spots, lawn mowing, grilling, activities for kids, sunscreen, water/snacks; and yes, work…still. Have you ever gone for summer vacation and came back feeling more tired than before you left? Sometimes we focus so much on planning, logistics, tasks, and the making of memories that we lose sight that it’s a vacation.

For professionals it’s the same thing. Sometimes we zoom in so much on the tasks that we end up overwhelmed and frustrated. We become disgruntled about things like recognition, promotion, salary, etc. We’ve all been there. So how do you overcome that?

There are many strategies out there, but it really boils down to attitude. If you look at your day-to-day tasks (trees) from the standpoint of your career (forest), you’ll gain a new perspective. Those tasks you consider mundane, unimportant, or repetitive are the foundations for your strengths and competencies. As you advance in your career, these foundations will guide your advancement and will be the steppingstones to your achievements.  

For example, suppose you work in a restaurant and dream of one day being a restauranteur. That’s a great dream to have but today, this shift, you’ve got to mop floors and do bathrooms. In a few months you get promoted to the wait staff, then kitchen, then shift manager, etc. One year turns to five, then seven, then ten. You’ve thought about quitting a thousand times by now, but you persevere. After 15 years of hard work the day finally arrives – you open your own restaurant! You’re ready – how do you know though? Because every job you did, however small, prepared you for this moment. You didn’t miss the forest for the trees.

Credie: https://www.arrowleadership.org/dont-miss-the-forest-for-the-trees/