Advice From the BEST

Free advice. What’s it worth? Sometimes it really depends on who it’s coming from. Sometimes it is worth the price you pay for it, but maybe not when it is from people who’ve achieved success beyond most of our wildest dreams. If you are ever lucky enough to meet any of the people listed below, you’d probably want to ask them for “a word” of their advice. Until you do, there are these to consider. We excerpted these from an Inc. article if you are interested in the background on each quote.

We think it’s interesting to read them to see if one or more resonate with you. If so, what could that be worth mean in terms of motivation and inspiration for your career? We think that they’re worth their weight in gold.

1.    Warren Buffett: Exercise humility and restraint.

2.    Maya Angelou: Make your own path.  

3.    Richard Branson: Never look back in regret -- move on to the next thing.

4.    J.K. Rowling: Embrace failure.

5.    Steve Jobs: Don't just follow your passion but something larger than yourself.

6.     Suze Orman: With success comes unhelpful criticism -- ignore it.

7.     Bill Gates: Keep things simple.

8.     Arianna Huffington: Don’t work too hard.

9.    George Stephanopoulos: Relax.

10.  Alexa von Tobel: Get up, dress up, and show up.

11. John Chen: Being a superstar can hurt your career.

12. Deepak Chopra: Embrace the wisdom of uncertainty.

13.  Cynthia Tidwell: Be patient enough to learn, but impatient enough to take risks.

14. Diane von Furstenberg: Keep it real.

15. Rick Goings: Be nice to everyone.

At Actuarial Careers, we offer you insights into the marketplace, with our free access to our salary survey results. 

What you might not know about Bill Gates

Typically the best careers for introverts are those that allow the individual to work independently. That certainly could apply to an actuarial career. However, Bill Gates is an introvert. Does that surprise you? If you are an introvert, you are in good company. According to Forbes magazine, other notables like Warren Buffet and Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer are introverts too, proving that you can get to the top without having an extrovert’s bravado.   

Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, (TED Talk) brings to the forefront that introverts often have natural strengths when it comes to being calm, thoughtful and prepared . . .  all good leadership qualities. Getting superiors to recognize is the challenge.

Honoring your natural tendencies is always the best strategy, knowing where the gaps are can help you prepare for that promotion or the next step in your career. Forbes says “success is an inside job”. If that’s true, introverts are ahead of the game when it comes to the ability to shine the light of introspection on their strengths and use that knowledge to foster self-confidence. It doesn’t always take heroic grandstand efforts to get to the top. There is no substitute for passion, which comes easily to introverts, and becomes a powerful force when harnessed at work.

Finally, when it comes to influence and advancement, there is no discounting relationships. Introverts cherish meaningful relationships and sharing the fruits of their thoughtful ideas. Finding the right connections to share them with is important. Having the right, strong business relationships is the easiest way to allow others to experience your value. Whether or not you believe the adage that it’s not what you know but who you know, it is definitely worth the temporary discomfort of networking or taking the initiative to make the first move. 

Easier than networking, meet our team.