An excerpt from new book, Company Men—A Wellness Guide for Black Men in Corporate America by Justin Grant.

1. Envision The Professional Life You Want

In your dream world, where do you envision yourself professionally five years from now? Zoom out a little further and imagine your ideal professional life ten years down the line. How about twenty years even? As you envision your dream work life, think big, because our world is full of endless possibilities. Corporate America has a way of causing us to sometimes shrink our dreams, so be mindful about only conjuring up positive thoughts. Building a vision board is a great exercise for this stage in the process. The act of looking up images that reflect your vision and placing them on your board will provide clarity around what it is that you truly want.

2. Get In Tune With Your Motivational Needs

Here’s an exercise you can try to help you identify your motivational needs. Rank the following motivators on a scale of 1-10, with one being your strongest motivator and 10 being your weakest:

· Curiosity: There are plenty of things to investigate and think about

· Acceptance: The people around me approve of what I do and who I am

· Power: I’m able to influence what happens around me

· Relatedness: I have good social contacts with people in my work

· Goal: My purpose in life is reflected in the work that I do

· Honor: I feel proud that my personal values are reflected in how I work

· Mastery: My work challenges my competence, but it is still within my abilities

· Order: There are enough rules and policies in place for a stable environment

· Freedom: I am independent of others with my work and my responsibilities

· Status: My position is good and recognized by the people who work with me.

3. Nurture Your Imagination

We live in a noisy world that is constantly bombarding us with garbage content from the minute we wake up to the minute we fall asleep. This type of noise can drown out your vocational calling. Instead of doomscrolling, watch movies. The right types of films can open your mind to all sorts of possibilities and inspire you to take action to enhance your life. Another exercise that I love is throwing on my favorite music and daydreaming. I’ve found that the right type of music can transport you into another dimension of reality and can get you in touch with the desires of your subconscious mind. Indulging in art for a few minutes every day—regardless of the art form you engage in—will nourish your inner wisdom and voice and open your mind to all sorts of possibilities.

4. Embrace The Adventure

It is so easy to just stay where you are and do the same things you’ve always done. It may even feel like the safer play. Comfort and familiarity certainly have their place in this life. But sometimes they can be an illusion. And in Corporate America, the most dangerous place is to sit in your comfort zone. That vision you have for your life will require you to step out of your comfort zone to try something new.

If you embrace the adventure and follow what’s calling you— you’ll never be bored.

5. Build Your Plan

There’s nothing complex about this stage of the process. Start by assessing where you’re at and simply identify your dream destination. Next, pinpoint the obstacles you’ll need to overcome to reach that destination. Your route is the path you’ll take to conquer these obstacles and close the gap between where you are and where you’re trying to go. As you build your plan, you’ll need to identify attainable goals, along with a plan of attack for achieving them.

6. Set Goals

Now comes the fun part. What steps are you taking at this very moment to make that dream professional life of yours a reality? Goal setting is a crucial element in this process. Your dream professional life is a big, fat whale. Don’t worry about eating it all at once. Just take it one bite at a time. In this analogy, your goals are those bites at the whale. The whale is your overarching vision. Goals will motivate you as you work towards your vision. They’ll provide you with purpose during the journey as well as a sense of accomplishment along the way. Goals will serve as a reminder that your vision doesn’t have to be built in a day. Life doesn’t work that way. It’s all about process. Evolution is how this works—not through the snap of a finger.

7. Recruit An Accountability Partner

Setting goals is one thing. Accomplishing those goals is another matter, and the journey towards reaching them is a lonely one. The process is grinding and staying motivated can be a challenge. An accountability partner is a critical resource who won’t let you give up. They’ll give you a kick in the pants when you need one. To make this relationship an effective one, create a plan for regular check-ins to track your progress with your partner. This doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment, either. Even check-ins over text can be effective.

8. Persevere

“The people who stick with things for years and years and never stop almost always win the race.” — James Clear, author

You’ve identified your vision, embraced the adventure, formed a plan, set goals, and even recruited an accountability partner. Now comes the hard part. There will be setbacks. There will be people in your way who will say, “No, it can’t be done.” Look for opportunities within the setbacks. Rethink your approach if necessary and be ready for change. But whatever you do, never give up. The future you—the version of yourself that you dream of—depends on it.

About the Author

Over the last twenty years, Justin Grant has honed his skills as a news reporter for Thomson Reuters and ABC News and as a corporate communications professional for leading U.S. financial services firms, including Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase. Company Men addresses the often-overlooked realities Black men face in navigating corporate environments. Justin hopes to bridge the gap between professional success and personal wellbeing in 2025. Learn more about the book here.