Do you sometimes wonder if your career has hit a plateau?

If your professional growth feels stagnant, it might be time to look inward. It's easy to point fingers at external factors, but often, the true culprits of our dissatisfaction lie within. Career rot begins within. Things won't change without first changing yourself.

Let's perform a career check-up to identify and treat the areas that could be silently decaying your professional life.

It manifests in five critical areas:

1/ Lack of Values

Your values are the compass that guides your journey in life's murky waters.

When you lose sight of them, your career can begin to drift aimlessly. To counteract this, define your core values and align your business practices with them. Let these principles light the way to decision-making that reinforces the integrity and direction of your career.

2/ No Purpose

A career without purpose is like a ship without a sail.

Without the wind of passion, you're merely floating, vulnerable to the tides of circumstance. Rediscover what ignites your enthusiasm. Articulate your career's mission statement and let this purpose propel you forward. It will transform routine tasks into steps towards a grand vision, infusing your daily grind with meaning.

Your purpose doesn't have to be as complex as Elon Musk's "To make humans a multi-planetary species."

Your purpose can remain on earth: "To wake up every day helping others smile, and cherish the day."

And, if you find the right company aligned with your purpose, you can do this in any industry.

3/ Lack of Learning

The moment you stop learning is the moment your career starts to wither.

The marketplace is an ever-evolving ecosystem, and to thrive, you must evolve with it. Commit to lifelong learning. Attend workshops, enroll in courses, read voraciously, and never stop asking questions.

Cultivate a beginner's mind and watch as new opportunities blossom.

4/ Lack of Focus

Lack of focus can cloud your career vision, making goals seem distant and unattainable.

To sharpen your focus, set concrete, measurable objectives. Break them into actionable tasks and prioritize them daily.

By directing your attention to specific targets, you'll move forward with purposeful strides instead of aimless wanderings.

5/ Miscommunication

Miscommunication can sabotage the most well-intentioned plans.

It's the pest that eats away at opportunities and relationships. Prioritize clear, effective communication. Practice active listening and assertive speaking.

Remember, it's not just about being heard but also about understanding and being understood.

Reflect on the past two years. 

Have you progressed as you hoped? If not, it's time to address these areas of decay. This is your wake-up call to take charge and make the changes necessary to revitalize your career.

It's time to inject new life into your career and turn potential decay into robust growth.

Choose one of the five areas above and take a step this week.