John McEnroe is famous for saying that "Winning or losing doesn't matter... until you lose."

It's the same in one's career: Nobody likes to lose. In fact, research in the field of psychology has shown that people are more afraid to lose than they are motivated to win.

However, the fact that you are not losing doesn't mean you are winning. It's like most sports: the fact that the opponent hasn't scored against you, doesn't mean you have scored against them.

It seems that most people today find themselves in a zone where they are neither losing nor winning. If they were in fact winning, they would be writing a book or giving seminars and workshops. They would teach others how to win. Their books would appear on the New York Times Best-Seller list.

Ultimately, whether you are currently winning or losing may matter less than whether you are moving in the direction of ultimate victory.

To answer that question, you first have to determine WHERE you are right now.

The following is a list of achievement levels that can give you an idea of where you are, strategically speaking, and what the next level might be. It's called the Pyramid of Professional Progress.

Please note that this list is for illustrative purposes only and is by no means exhaustive.

Also keep in mind the distinction between "work" (what you do to pay the bills) and "Work" (your calling or the special work you were meant to do in this life).

1. Employed in Work and helping others find their Work --> Winning big! Example: Oprah.
   
2. Employed in Work where one controls economic drivers (that is, one can increase income by increasing outcome) --> Winning more and more! Example: Donald Trump.
   
3. Employed in Work --> Winning! This Work is something you do based on your passion, your talent, your values and your desire to serve a particular kind of people to help them solve their problems. Example: Dr Phil.
   
4. Employed in work that falls within Work --> Not losing, and preparing to win. Example: You want to become an actress since that's your dream in life. And you're working as an administrative assistant in a film production company.
   
5. Unemployed but engaged in search for Work --> Not losing (if have sufficient savings) and preparing to win (coach required to speed up the job finding process)
   
6. Employed in work that falls outside of Work --> Not losing (but also not winning). This might be a dangerous situation. One could be addicted to the money-making aspect of a job, to the detriment of one's talent or passion. This addiction could last an entire lifetime.
   
7. Unemployed but packaging one's human capital and searching for work --> Losing, but preparing calmly to get OUT of losing
   
8. Unemployed and searching for (menial or manual) work --> Losing and wants a quick way out of this losing situation.
   
9. Unemployed and not searching for work. Permanently losing. This is the most dangerous situation. Urgent action is required.

Sometimes, the more boring or "lifeless" a job is, the higher the pay. It's called "differential compensation": the higher salary doesn't reflect the value of your services, it's only there to prevent you from quitting the (boring and lifeless) job which nobody wants.

The sad thing at level 6 is that people have stopped their personal growth. The only thing growing is their bank account.

At levels 7 to 9, there is "negative pressure" to do something. People don't want the pain (lack of purchasing power, low social status, etc.) so they are naturally driven to move up the pyramid.

At levels 1 to 5, there is "positive pressure" to do something. People want the pleasure or the payoff, so they are motivated naturally to do something to move up the pyramid.

Level 6 is the only level where there is the great danger of losing one's life. Indeed, many people get so comfortable with their professional routine that they don't notice the passing of years until it's too late. One day, they wake up and realize they've spent the last 10 or 20 years at a job they hate or don't feel any passion for. The brutal awakening is often accompanied by anger, bitterness and depression.

However, it is never too late to gain awareness and change one's life. It is better to look ahead with foresight, than to look back with regret.

In the end, human beings are infinitely capable of change and self-improvement. All we need is a clear, systematic process for moving forward and making tangible progress. The Pyramid of Professional Progress above can be a guide for personal growth and continuous career advancement.