[Workplace Habits] Series ➊ From Novice to Leader

Good habits are the foundation of success. In the workplace, strong habits provide powerful support for achieving career goals. That’s why motivated professionals across various industries strive to cultivate habits that promote career growth. And yet, many find that while the desire is there, the follow-through is lacking. So how can we break through this barrier?

After guiding readers through kingdom-minded leadership in the series Kingdom Leadership (see Stewardship sections in Issues 63–66), Coach Jacky Chen now launches a new series: Workplace Heart Habits. This new journey takes kingdom-minded professionals one step further—cultivating the inner habits needed to grow from a workplace novice to a true leader.

May you and I take this inside-out journey to explore deeply, discover practical ways, and experience real transformation. Along the way, may we join him in discovering that work can be a process of uncovering life’s meaning, igniting passion, and living out one’s calling—where joy can truly be found in what we do.

Finding Life’s Meaning Through Work

No matter the field or industry, whether you are a newcomer, a manager, or a business owner, most professionals hope to achieve better performance and greater results. To reach this goal, there are typically three common approaches:

• Determined Action: Repeatedly telling oneself—“As long as I keep trying, I will eventually succeed!”
• Gritty Perseverance: Pushing forward despite difficulties, even when it takes everything just to keep going.
• Checkpoint Accountability: Tracking daily progress by clocking in, using it as a way to monitor and stay accountable for personal growth in various areas.

These methods may seem effective, but once put into practice, many find the results disappointing. Why is that? And how can we overcome it? Through over thirty years of work experience, I’ve discovered that there are four key stages in professional growth:

1. Entering the Workplace: Understanding your responsibilities and tasks, developing skills, and gaining clarity about your role and identity.
2. Striving Upward: Gaining experience, achieving better results, and climbing to higher positions.
3. Leading a Team: Stepping into a managerial role as the guide and mission-driver for the team.
4. Passing on the Mission: Leading your team in passing the mission to the next generation.

This series will review, reflect on, and look ahead to each step of the career journey upward—exploring the meaning and value of life from both practical and faith-based perspectives, ultimately leading to a transformation from novice to leader.

Everyone wants to keep improving, but time and again we find that no matter how determined we are or how many times we clock in, the good habits that actually stick are few and far between. As the Scripture says, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Gritting our teeth for a month might work—but what about three years? Five years? A lifetime? Even more discouraging is the reality that bosses and companies often care only about performance and results, with little regard for the effort we’ve put in.

To break out of this dilemma, we need to approach the problem from a different angle and ask: How can we discover our passion, purpose, and core values through our work? Let’s begin by asking four key questions, examining our lives from four important dimensions:

1. Passion: What do I truly love deep inside, and why do I enjoy this work?
2. Strength: What am I good at in my work, and why do others see me as valuable?
3. Income: In my department or industry, why do others respect and recognize me—and what makes them willing to pay me a salary?
4. Social Need: Why does society need the services of my profession, and why does it need the unique contribution I bring?

The intersection of these four areas forms the core values of one’s career. These core values influence not only our work and daily habits, but also the direction of our professional growth.

The intersection of what you love and what you’re good at is called Passion—when you’re passionate about your work, you can pour yourself into it joyfully, even under great pressure. Mission arises from the overlap between what you love and what the world needs—recognizing that you are needed strengthens your sense of purpose. Profession refers to the area in which you have expertise and are paid for your skills. Vocation is the role or position that both meets a social need and provides income.

Different professions may have different characteristics, but in every job position, it is possible to discover your own passion, sense of mission, professional expertise, and vocation. The integration of these four aspects reveals the true meaning of life.

Many people focus only on whether a job offers good income, returns, or ease of performance. May God help us shift our perspective—to reexamine our careers through the lenses of passion, mission, profession, and vocation. This renewed outlook can lead to greater growth and future development.

Take myself as an example. Through self-reflection and professional assessments, I discovered that I truly enjoy learning and growing together with others—that is my passion. I’m good at teaching and integrating ideas. In my work at a computer company, my skills were recognized, and I received a stable income. As for the “needs of the world,” I realized that many people long for love and care, and I feel called to make a difference in that area.

By integrating these four aspects, I discovered my personal core value: to love—by learning and growing alongside others, and using my strengths to serve them. I have also committed to living out this value in both my work and daily life.

I hope that every professional can examine their career through these four lenses, rise above challenges, stand out from the crowd, and be equipped to lead their team in fulfilling its mission.

The Four Stages of Career Growth: Progress Without Limits

With each job transition, a professional’s career development should follow an upward spiral. Below is a brief introduction to the four stages of career growth, which will be explored in more detail in the following articles. (See diagram below)

1. “Entering the Workplace” Stage: Understand your identity, strengths, and abilities within this specific work environment. Use this as a starting point to guide your continuous growth. Also, take time to get to know the people around you and seek support from mentors, friends, supervisors, and career advisors.

2. Entering the “Striving Upward” Stage: Focus on the following three areas—

• From Efficiency to Effectiveness: Many people are skilled at improving work efficiency, but that doesn't always lead to meaningful results.
• From Self to Team: Many professionals excel when working independently, but often face communication barriers—and even conflict—when collaborating within a team.
• From Pain to Joy: Work is not just about making a living—it’s also about pursuing inner fulfillment and joy. What’s essential is discovering your true motivation and purpose.

From the “Four Stages of Career Growth” diagram, we can see that on a personal level, it’s important to find a platform in the workplace where you can exercise your influence. At higher stages of one’s career, the focus shifts to learning how to lead a team—transitioning from a capable individual contributor to a true leader.

3. “Leading a Team” Stage: Leverage your influence and team leadership skills to help your organization solve problems. At the same time, begin considering a second career path. While leading a team, continue developing your cross-disciplinary (“slash”) skills to prepare for the second half of your life journey.

4. “Passing on the Mission” Stage: Focus on fostering the continuation of the mission—not just by transferring skills, but by igniting passion in those who will carry it forward. The goal is for successors to take up not only the work, but also the torch burning in our hearts. When we achieve this, we have truly exercised our influence and fulfilled our life’s mission.

Building Good Habits from the Heart

In the workplace, there is a strong emphasis on time management and habit formation. Many professionals believe that if they can manage their time well, they can manage everything. However, time planning and habit-building are only surface-level solutions. To sustain effective time management in the long run, it takes more than just cultivating efficient and healthy habits—we must also uncover the decisive factor: Who am I, really?

The course of a person’s life flows from the heart. When the inner life is transformed, the outer life will change as well—shaping work habits and the way time is managed.

For example, many professionals see work as nothing more than a burdensome chore. After finishing their studies, they dive headfirst into the workforce, only to be overwhelmed by the pressure of providing for a family. In daily tasks, the goal becomes not just to perform well, but to avoid mistakes—doing only what is required. The ideal job, in their minds, is simple: fewer tasks, more pay, and close to home.

If one works only for the sake of retirement (not working), then subconsciously, the very thought of work will feel burdensome. With such a mindset, trying to develop positive and proactive workplace habits will inevitably be an uphill battle.

Let us try viewing work and life from a different perspective—an inside-out approach that helps us discover meaning in both. By uncovering our passion and sense of mission through our work, we can turn work into a journey of fulfillment and a path to true purpose in life.

To successfully build habits that support career growth, we must first undergo an internal shift—from bitterness to sweetness—and that transformation begins with understanding our true identity. Though the pressures of work remain, a new life is stirred within, renewing our minds and transforming our perspectives. This allows us to see the good, pleasing, and perfect meaning of life, which in turn reshapes our habits and actions from the inside out.

When habits flow from the heart, they carry the power to bring real change.

Ask “Why” — and discover what you truly love

To develop habits that truly support career growth, the key is not sheer willpower, but caring for the soul. This begins with understanding yourself and finding the right place to grow from. From there, continue learning and building step by step—cultivating new habits that flow from deep within the heart.

Among the four dimensions of self-understanding, it’s essential to identify how your passion connects with your life and work.

By thoughtfully reflecting on each aspect of our work, we may discover that what we love can, in some way, be connected to both our job and our life. For example, I personally enjoy exchanging ideas with others and growing together through learning. This passion is directly related to my work—and deeply tied to my inner joy.

When we discover something deep within our hearts that we both love and are good at—something the world truly needs and for which we can earn a living—we begin to see clearly our own life’s meaning and value.

Renowned leadership expert Simon Sinek introduced the concept of the Golden Circle, emphasizing that we should start with “Why.” He observed that what sets great leaders—such as Apple’s founder Steve Jobs and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—apart from the average person is that they begin by asking “Why.”

Most people tend to start with “What”—they look at the resources at hand and focus on what needs to be done, concentrating on the visible, immediate tasks. Some go a step further and consider “How”—how to do things well, how to succeed, and how to achieve results.

Sinek believes that the question which truly shapes a person’s sense of life purpose and work effectiveness is “Why.” Once we answer the “Why” and take action in line with what we love, it unleashes tremendous motivation.

Take Apple and Dell as an example: both companies produce computers, but the key difference lies in their core values.

Dell’s core value centers on a specific product—computers. The company has focused solely on producing computers and has consistently stayed within that product category. Apple, on the other hand, pursues innovation. From its early days, Apple set out to “create products that would impact generations and inspire inner passion.” As a result, it has expanded beyond computers to develop wireless earbuds, iPads, smartphones, and more. What all these products share is a drive to spark users’ creativity and a pursuit of excellence. Apple’s passion for innovation is reflected in every product it creates.

Different values shape different companies—and different values also shape entirely different lives. That’s why it’s important to dig deep and uncover your truest passion, then commit yourself to it. How can you discover your passion? Try imagining this: if you retired today and no longer needed to work for a living, what would you still want to do? That could be a clue pointing toward what you love—and it may help you answer the question, “Why do I work?”

Take myself as an example—if I were to retire today, I would still enjoy discussing new ideas with friends, learning together, and growing side by side. Being a lifelong learner is my passion. When passion is integrated with work, work becomes more than just an external task—it becomes something deeply connected to the innermost desires of the heart.

In both life and work, we still need to consider the “How” and the “What,” but the foundation lies in discovering and focusing on the passion deep within our hearts. This is the inner force that continually drives us forward—it is the source of true motivation.

Ask “What am I good at?” — and discover your strengths.

A strength is something you can do well. But knowing your strengths also requires understanding your personal traits. For example, if you enjoy interacting with people, you might be well-suited for marketing or sales; if you love working with numbers, a technical role might be a better fit.

How can you discover your personal traits? Tools I have personally used—and often recommend to friends and students—include the Gallup StrengthsFinder, the StandOut strengths assessment, and the MBTI personality test.

In the process of identifying your strengths, it’s important to stay focused and not chase every trend. The key is to be honest with yourself while also humbly seeking feedback from colleagues and mentors. Be careful not to label certain traits as simply strengths or weaknesses—see them instead as characteristics. Each person’s characteristics are unique.

You might wonder: is identifying personal strengths really that important? The story of Tian Ji’s horse racing strategy offers a vivid answer.

During the Warring States period, nobles in the state of Qi often enjoyed horse racing. Horses were ranked into three categories based on speed: top, middle, and lower tiers. General Tian Ji frequently raced against the King of Qi but kept losing. Later, after receiving strategic advice, he changed his approach. He matched his lowest-tier horse against the king’s top-tier horse and lost, as expected. But then he used his top-tier horse to race the king’s middle-tier horse—and won. Finally, he raced his middle-tier horse against the king’s lowest-tier horse—and won again. In the end, Tian Ji won the match by a score of 2 to 1.

Our abilities, too, can be seen as having different levels. In the workplace, it’s important to find your unique position—not by trying to outperform others in every area, but by focusing on your strengths and leveraging them to succeed.

Ask “How” — and discover how to earn a living

Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, introduced a powerful idea: managing oneself—being the CEO of your own life. He emphasized that in a world where every industry is rapidly changing due to technological advancements, professionals must learn to manage themselves. Effective self-management begins with accurately assessing your inner value, strengths, and unique position.

Drucker recommended the following steps for effective self-management:

1. Observation: Understand how you learn best—are you more effective through listening, reading, or through discussion and interaction?
2. Planning: Create a plan for your future. Who do you want to become in three months, three years, or five years?
3. Forecasting: Write down your goals. What specific objectives do you hope to achieve in three months or five months?
4. Feedback: Regularly track and record your progress. Invite others to observe your growth and provide honest, practical feedback. This helps you assess whether your previous forecasts were accurate and better informs your next round of planning and forecasting. By faithfully following these four steps, you can learn to manage yourself the way one manages a company—constantly optimizing and growing in ability. Of course, the most important foundation is still discovering your passion—uncovering the true inner motivation and strengths that drive you. Only then will self-management be truly effective. And as your abilities improve, so will the value others are willing to pay for your work.

Ask “What to do” — and discover what the world needs from me.

Some people might say, “I’m just an ordinary worker, like a screw in a machine—my presence or absence doesn’t really matter.” But in fact, how you answer the question “What are you doing?” reveals your true inner ambition, motivation, and the impact you can have on society. Consider the following story.

Someone walked past a construction site and asked three workers what they were doing.

The first worker replied, “I’m laying bricks.” The second said, “I’m building a house.” But the third worker answered, “I’m constructing the most beautiful cathedral in the city.”

Ten years later, the first worker was still laying bricks. The second had become a construction site contractor. And the third had become an architect.

In the story, the first worker was simply doing a job, with little motivation or expectation—laying bricks day after day, unchanged over the years. The second worker had interest and vision for the building itself, so he didn’t stay at bricklaying; years later, he became a site contractor. The third worker had an even greater dream—not just to lay bricks or build a structure, but to be part of creating the most beautiful cathedral. He connected his work to a larger vision, and over time, he grew into an architect.

Work is first and foremost a means of making a living, but it also calls for deeper reflection: What kind of impact will my work make? Why does the world need me to do this particular job and serve this specific group of people? Once these questions are answered, your inner motivation changes—and so do the outcomes you create through your work.

Throughout my career, I often reflect on my motivation, assess my abilities and strengths, and commit to continuous learning—expanding my knowledge and preparing for the next wave in my industry. My goal is to advance step by step to the next stage of my career, where I can help more people. Ultimately, I hope that through my efforts and collaboration with others, we can grow together in meaningful relationships and serve those in need.

At every stage of a professional career, self-management is essential. With the help of effective assessment tools—and the support of friends and mentors—we can repeatedly engage in observation, planning, forecasting, and feedback to deepen our self-awareness and track our growth over time. Through this process, we discover what we love and what we’re good at, gaining clarity about our strengths, value, and life purpose. Work then becomes more than just the daily grind of “laying bricks”—it transforms into a joyful journey of steady progress and continual growth.

In the next article, I will further explore time management, habit formation, and how to discover your passion through your strengths. Feel free to get in touch:de*********@***il.com.

Think and act:

1. Which stage of the Four Stages of Career Growth do you think you're currently in? What challenges are you facing? In what areas do you see room for growth?
2. What insights has Peter Drucker’s concept of self-management given you? What actions do you plan to take to put this idea into practice?

---

Coach Jacky Chen is the Chief Cloud Architect at Oracle and holds a Master’s degree in Leadership. He is a certified life coach trained by Dr. BJ Fogg of Stanford University and holds an Executive Leadership certificate from MIT. Currently, he serves as a leadership coach with xLead, a guest lecturer for the International True Love Family Association, and a board member of KRC. Coach Chen’s personal signature is T.E.A.—Tiny steps, Enjoyable process, and Action-oriented living. He is the author of Discover Your Leadership and Workplace Heart Habits.

New book recommendations

Workplace Habits from the Heart

Coach Jacky Chen’s Latest Work

Start with the heart—discover your own unique career map!

Jointly endorsed by Elder Fred Lin, former Chairman and CEO of Payless Car Rental and advisor to this publication, and Elder Elaine Kung, founder and president of Call To Work and featured guest in our Kingdom Professionals series.

Please contact major Christian bookstores in North America and Taiwan, or visit the Grace Publishing website. (https://graceph.com/product/59v002/) to order.