Becoming the Champion of Success in the New Work World

By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC

With Houston as an official host city for the 2026 World Cup tournament, with seven matches scheduled to be played at NRG Stadium between June 14 and July 4, 2026, I can’t help but focus on this great event and the many analogies and metaphors we can draw from it. The FIFA World Cup is the world’s premier international men’s soccer tournament, held every four years, where 48 national teams compete to be crowned world champion.

Over the three years leading up to the main event, more than 200 national teams compete in regional qualifying matches to secure one of the coveted spots in the tournament. What if, in our New Work World, we decided to take on the attitude of a World Cup contender? What would the preparation to achieve our own highest medal of success look like as we pursued our career goals? In the spirit of the World Cup, let’s dive into what it takes to prepare for a job search or expand a current career like a World Cup tournament contender.

1. Create a Mindset of Success

I believe each contender must begin this journey with a mindset of success, the belief that they can achieve whatever they set their mind to. Similarly, your preparations for a job search must begin with a mindset of success. If someone tells you “no,” remember that they don’t know what you are truly capable of, as the late Zig Ziglar said. With that confident perspective, you can turn a “no” from a rejection letter into a “know,” the knowledge that there will be a better opportunity for you on your career journey. Overcoming feelings of defeat and insecurity is crucial to landing the right job during these uncertain times.

2. Assess Your Online Presence

For a World Cup contender, presentation is as important as performance, both in their sport and in other areas of life. In all things, they must present themselves positively. Likewise, it is crucial that your online presence is polished as you dive into the New Work World. Have you updated your LinkedIn profile and cleaned up your social media, removing pictures from Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) that could offend a prospective employer? Have you made sure the lighting, microphone, and background you use for online interviews are of the highest quality? A practice run with a friend or relative before an interview with a prospective employer is always a good idea.

3. Handle Your Job Search Like a Full-Time Job

To go above and beyond in their performance endeavors, World Cup contenders must sacrifice personal time for practice. In these competitive times, you too must spend significant time actively searching for a job if you wish to secure the right opportunity. You have to make looking for a job a full-time job. It’s not enough to simply send out a few résumés per week, make a few calls, and expect offers to roll in. You need to create a daily and weekly plan for what you want to accomplish. In addition, reach out to career coaches for support and advice, and investigate online forums and groups that advertise positions you may wish to pursue.

4. Prepare to Win

“The key is not the will to win. Everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.” — Bobby Knight, head coach, 1984 USA men’s national basketball team.

If you read about any World Cup contender’s training, you will find that their daily preparation is extensive and goes above and beyond what others would ever consider doing. The same holds true for your job search, as preparation is crucial in the New Work World. I have often seen candidates with little related experience beat out candidates with directly related experience because they took the time to prepare for interviews. Strong preparation and presentation during interviews impress human resource managers, often resulting in offers of employment.

5. The Résumé

To even qualify for a major event like the World Cup, an athlete must ensure every aspect of their preparation is flawless. Similarly, an updated, professionally prepared résumé is more critical than ever in this New Work World. Typos and missing or inconsistent information, such as time gaps or overlapping dates, may result in an interview being cut short. Your résumé is your calling card. To make sure it represents you in the best possible light, and is in line with today’s algorithms and keyword searches, spend the time to make it right or invest in having it professionally done.

6. Networking

Networking has always been a key to success in many arenas. For World Cup contenders, this may take the form of trainers, agents, and scouts who help increase their skill and visibility, and therefore their chances of success. In the New Work World, you are often more likely to land a new opportunity through someone in your network than through online efforts alone. Let your contacts know you are on the job hunt. Don’t be afraid to ask for introductions and referrals. Many networking groups offer in-person breakfast and lunch events, so reach out to people who may be able to get you invited. You could make valuable connections that lead to interviews.

“The hard days are the best because that’s where champions are made.” — Gabby Douglas, USA women’s gymnastics gold medalist.

With strong preparation and a positive mindset, you are bound to succeed. Just like the World Cup contenders you watch and admire during Houston’s upcoming event, be determined to dive into your job search and know that you can pursue your own win in the New Work World.

I am excited that our city of Houston will host this World Cup Championship. Let’s all strive to be winners in the Championship of Life with the right preparation, attitude, and determination to succeed!

Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.