Life Skills
5 Gospel-Centered Tips to Help You Succeed in Your Career
Christ’s teachings don’t just apply to your spiritual life.
As a young father, I’ve often prayed for help finding a job. I have lain awake at night wondering how I’ll pay the bills. And while an eternal perspective has taught me that success in life isn’t measured by the amount of money I make, I still want to be able to support my family and have a fulfilling career.
Though I’m still figuring out my own path to a rewarding career, I’ve worked enough during my college years to learn that Christ’s teachings apply to more than just my personal life. Here are five gospel principles that have helped me progress in the workplace.
1. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Personal interactions, phone calls, or even emails make me anxious. It has become apparent, however, that good communication is paramount in a work environment. It requires speaking up, asking questions, and, well, communicating.
Equally important is the effectiveness of your communication. President Russell M. Nelson said, “[Heavenly Father] communicates simply, quietly, and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him.” I’ve learned that direct, polite, and sincere communication is best in the workplace.
Don’t hesitate to communicate with Heavenly Father about your career through prayer. James 1:5 invites, as Joseph Smith learned: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” Prayer has blessed me in every aspect of my life, including my work efforts.
2. Labor Diligently (Also Known as Work Hard)
Work is work. It isn’t always going to be fun, and it rarely comes easily. You might guess that cleaning toilets isn’t listed among my favorite jobs (no disrespect to any janitors reading; we love and need you), but I look back with gratitude that I did it—and not just because I earned some money.
God promised the Saints in Nauvoo, “If ye labor with all your might, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:44). While this refers to building a temple, it can also apply to the work we do elsewhere.
I believe most worthwhile things require effort. Serving a mission required a massive amount of effort, but I’m so grateful for the experience. Romantic relationships take effort, but they can bring much joy. Careers are no different. Sometimes you just need to put your head down and do the work.
3. Be Patient
The Apostle Paul lists patience, or long-suffering, as an attribute of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). I’ve yet to work somewhere without facing some frustration, whether it’s dealing with difficult coworkers, navigating setbacks, or facing delays in achieving goals. Learning to roll with the punches, trusting that things will work out, and staying focused on the long-term vision has been essential in my own work experience.
4. Accept Feedback
Learning to accept feedback is difficult but necessary. Receiving a critique doesn’t mean failure; it just means there’s room for improvement. The scriptures are filled with examples of people learning how to do and be better—think of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness or Alma the Younger. Because the Lord loved them, He chastised them and many other great men and women.
Alma describes the pain he felt about his sins as “eternal torment” (Alma 36:12). Yet he describes his repentance, or change of heart, saying, “There can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (Alma 36:21).
I worked in a podcast writers’ room for years. Most days involved presenting drafts and discussing how to improve them. At times, it felt like people were pointing out everything I’d done wrong. Over time, however, I grew to appreciate the feedback because it made me a much better writer and, dare I say, person.
5. Set and Meet Goals
Don’t be alarmed when it takes a while to develop a career. Few people become successful overnight. Nephi revealed that the Lord teaches “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30). Alma taught that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).
Making and pursuing worthy goals is a great way to progress little by little. The nice part is that goals don’t have to be huge to be worth pursuing, but our efforts do have to be consistent. Elder Michael A. Dunn of the Seventy taught, “For small gains to aggregate, there must be a consistent, day-in and day-out effort.”
I often worry about making enough progress in my personal life and career. But when I look back, I see a clear path from one point to the next, even though it was invisible at the time.
I know that God will guide us in our work as we put our faith in Him.