Thoughts about Promotions and Focusing on What You Can Control

I want to be promoted at work. Who doesn't? My manager already told me that he believes I deserve to be a promotion, so he will advocate for it. My getting a promotion is in the hands of people more senior than my manager.

As a matter of pride, I never beg or complain. If I don’t get the promotion, I will not get angry or cry about it like a baby, which is what I see many people do. In my opinion, it's very hard to enjoy your work when you're constantly anxious about promotions.

In my opinion, it is better to focus on implementing policies at work that improve the organisation. If you are successful in doing this, it provides you with clear tangible achievements, which you can highlight in a future job interview. It is important to apply for jobs outside of the team or organization.

At job interviews, if you can point to process improvements implemented, that is strong evidence that you can add value in an organization.

Focus on what you can control

I am not focused on outcomes. I am focused on the process. I just need to follow the process. I have no control over the decisions of the selection panel when applying for a job. However, I do control what I do at work and what improvements I implement in the organization. I do control how much effort I put into looking for other jobs and applying for them. I focus on what I can control, not on what I cannot control.