Most of us are soon taking some time off. Let me suggest some summertime career reflections.

Purpose and belonging.

We all love doing good stuff. Stuff which is valuable and mean something.
Don’t lose sight of good. Spend a few moments thinking about what is good in the context you are in.
Spend time and effort there.
Whatever you are and whatever you do, you are always a part of something bigger.
Understand it. Look into it and look beyond it.
It creates a sense of belonging and drive. It drives new ideas and higher degree of dynamics.
You will discover new things to learn, for your enjoyment but also for your professional value.
What is beyond your project? What is beyond the company you work for? Who is your real customer? What is beyond the market?
The feeling of doing something good and purposeful in a context we understand, and perhaps even control, brings great satisfaction.

Being free and in control.

Never give up being free and in control of your development as a human being and professional worker.
Connect with your inner drive, nurture it with curiosity, openness and happiness.
Don’t let anyone else dictate your next move but be humble towards those who know more than you. And everyone else.
Your job or even your life will never just be filled with joy, passion and fun. Hard core skill is also the ability to learn from what is grey.
Don’t always flee it. Embrace grey for a while and you will find the most sparkling moments right there.
What you never thought you would enjoy, you may perhaps not love but you will learn from it.
If you are stuck in your career with nowhere to go: redefine or go. Find a new place and more importantly, find likeminded.
The desire and importance of being free and in control is deeply rooted in all of us.
Use it.

Never stop learning.

Go deeper. Go broader.
Be the best in something. In anything. But don’t be that snob who never accepts doing anything else.
Challenge yourself with completely new things. All the time.
Learn alongside with friends and colleagues.
Don’t be afraid to fail or do that which is not perfect. Perfecting comes only with learning and learning means by definition unperfected origin.
Look into new domains of knowledge both within and outside of your profession.
Learn from that which is beautiful in abundance. Art, music, poetry, or just nature.
Learn from that which is technical by definition. Mathematics, physics, or just logic.
Since the dawn of humanity we have always strived to improve and learn more.
Tap into that force.