Charting your fluid course begins with knowing the lay of the land ahead of time. What trends do you need to be aware of? You need to research not just what they could be but how to identify them and how it could impact what you do now and in the future. Sleuthing information about your industry, competitors, job function, and potential disruptions becomes more important with each passing year. You need to know how to collect the right data and know what to do with it.

Where is everything going? What does your picture of success look like? To answer those questions, you need a compass. This is your strategic plan that you create to guide you from idea to action. Now you need to figure out where you want to be based on what you learned in the first component and decide how to fill the gap between there and here. The compass is the best metaphor because your journey will be directional rather than linear. Even as you shift and switch and pivot, you should be heading in the general direction of your North Star.

Next, you have to accept that change is coming. Fear of the unknown and fear of failure are often what keep people from actually chasing their dreams. Preparing for change is mental and emotional, not just operational. This component is all about managing your fear, converting that energy into excitement, and developing your self-confidence so you know without a doubt that you know what you’re doing. Even though you’re doing what has never been done before—and even if people close to you believe that what you’re doing cannot be done. You’ll have to release external pressure and overcome internal obstacles like self-doubt.

Building your network—your village—is critical to getting where you want to go. Not only will your new village make the introductions you need, they will point you to any skills or knowledge gaps you need to fill in order to stay fluid and open up even more opportunities in the future. Networking can help you create leads into areas that you want to pursue which may not even be in the field you are in now, but you want to pivot into that. This component is about aligning what you identified as your goals and objectives in the compass component and then finding those people who can actively help you to get there.s here

The fifth and final component of your fluid career system is the acquisition of long-term skills. This involves researching where to pick up the necessary skills, creating environments to practice them (at a job, in a side gig, etc.), and measuring your progress. You need to establish and add a portfolio of skills to your resume, resulting in a comprehensive package where multiple jobs intersect. As you build your skills, you’ll grow more comfortable with your new role or job and finally advance your career in the way you want it.