Luck, as the Romans defined it, is when preparation meets opportunity. While there is an infinite number of ways to define career success, the way you define success is not the same way I define success; however, the thing that’s constant between us is that we both worked for it; we were not lucky.

In this episode, we have with us again Dr. Kamshia Childs, to find out what’s she’s been up to these days. In our chat, we tackle the workspace, being overlooked at work, everything you need to know about starting from the bottom, and why you should be ready when the next opportunity arises.

Being Overlooked at Work – 04:49

Have you ever been in prime promotional positions, felt like you deserved at least a chance, and still ended up not getting that promotion? It can be frustrating, right? You dust yourself up, do your best, and fight for another position that’s tailored for you. Then, the same thing happens all over again; they still don’t consider you. Giving up should never be an option. Taking all these setbacks in your stride will help you become stronger both physically and mentally. These ‘low’ positions are there to give you the necessary skills and experience that somebody fresh out of college would struggle with. 

Why Starting From The Bottom is Good For You – 07:13

You obviously want to scale through your career as quickly as possible. While this can be a good thing, starting from the bottom is what prepares you for the top. The skills and expertise you gain while working in lesser or part-time positions are what determine whether your tenure at the top will be successful or not.

Battling Struggles – 08:50

Whether financial, work-related, or family-related, struggles are a part of our lives. The way you tackle your struggles, however, is what defines how you come out in the end. The people who best deal with their struggles are those that consider their hardships as lessons. 

Your level of preparedness also says a lot about how you deal with hardship. Don’t lose hope, though; struggles are part of the journey. If you can train your mind to have a positive attitude towards struggles, facing them will become easier.

Determining Readiness  – 10:41

At some point in your professional life, you’ll always be on the lookout for the next challenge. With that in mind, how do you know if you are ready to take the next step in your career? There isn’t an obvious answer to this question because everyone’s readiness is different. But, readiness relies sorely on your preparedness to take on more significant roles. If you feel like you can handle more prominent roles, then go ahead, take the next step.

Growth – 13:31

Consistency is key to everyone trying to grow. If you can prioritize on one thing and put all your energy into it, every day, you will achieve what you set out to achieve. 

The other important thing that people tend to forget is their health. You might be on the right path, but if you can’t watch your health, all your hard work will be for nothing. Health is wealth; it’s as simple as that.

Networking is also another essential aspect of your growth. Attending seminars or conferences, virtual or otherwise, is where you’ll meet like-minded individuals that might push you in the right direction. 

Being Productive – 19:30

Learning to work with other people and collaborating more often is what sets you up for success. Understanding that you can’t do everything on your own will go a long way in helping you delegate roles to your team members. Although you might feel like you can do everything, you are not a machine, so stop doing everything on your own and start to delegate. The moment you start collaborating and delegating tasks is when you take that extra burden off your shoulder. 

Last Piece of Advice – 26:00

Nothing comes easy; you first have to sweat it out before you can witness progress. The fact that your goal is taking longer than that of others should never deter you from grinding. All of our journeys are unique, and part of the journey is the learning process. You’ll meet people who inspire you, and you’ll also meet people who look up to you. You never know what role you play is somebody else’s journey. So, go out there and become who you want to become while inspiring others to be who they need to be.     

Dr. Kamshia Childs is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University-Commerce.  She obtained an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas Southern University and also holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (ESL), and M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction (Reading and Language Arts) from Kansas State University.  Dr. Childs has been a literacy educator for nearly 20 years, and has worked in urban and rural settings in K-12 and higher education. 

She has published several literacy and multicultural education articles in peer-reviewed literacy journals, written a self-published book, contributed to books, and presents at various state, national, and international conferences on topics related to literacy, educator empowerment, parent involvement, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Connect with Dr. Childs on Twitter, IG, Facebook at @doctorkchilds.

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