This is the exciting time of year when thousands of people enjoy their hard-earned graduation ceremonies at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

For some, it will mean more schooling, but for others the next step is building a successful Career. In today’s uncertain world, that often means multiple careers carried out over many years. People continue to work later in life, by choice and necessity.

However, recent graduates aren’t the only people who can benefit from some career contemplation and thinking strategically about building successful and meaningful careers. We can look to the example of Peter Drucker, whose career success over a period of more than 70 years was built on a foundation of personal excellence, diligence, credibility, and integrity.

I‘ve identified six critical career success factors in Drucker’s life and work. Consider how each can apply to you in today’s ultra-challenging and constantly changing world.

The Critical Six

Diversifying your work. Besides writing more than 40 books, Drucker also wrote a significant number of articles in a wide variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fortune, and The Atlantic Monthly. This was in addition to his teaching and consulting; the latter balanced with work for high-profile companies such as Procter & Gamble and General Electric, as well as pro bono work for such nonprofits as Girl Scouts of the USA and the Salvation Army.

Thinking/acting globally. Drucker’s background was international: He was born in Austria; attended college, graduate school, and worked in Germany; did more work in England; and , at 28, moved to the United States, where he lived the rest of his life. His books were published in more than 30 languages, and he regularly did worldwide lecture tours. As distances shrink, more of our work has the potential to take on a worldwide reach. We can learn from artists, architects, actors, and musicians, many of whom have international outlets for their work.

Remaining relevant. People are living longer, requiring them to devise ways of remaining relevant not only to peers but and others of all ages. Increasingly, many generations coexist in today’s workplace. Drucker never lost his sense of learning, and even though he held a Ph.D., he regularly did three-year/three-month self-study systems until nearly the end of his life, in 2005, days short of his 96th birthday.

Producing an ongoing, high-quality body of work. We are moving from a world of self-identification through job titles to one more defined through an ongoing, ever-evolving body of work. This is especially the case for work that is creative by nature, built on unique and innovative ideas. Such a body of work has a cumulative effect, allowing you to build on what you have already done to create something new and different in the future. Drucker could not have written so many books if he had not built on the accumulation of his own wisdom, combined with applying himself to life-long learning, backed by a keen sense of observation.

Working to benefit others. Practically everything Drucker wrote or taught about was predicated on helping individuals and organizations develop and become more effective. His consulting helped executives improve the operation of their organization and guided them to think more clearly about their work. His writing was a beacon of wisdom to millions and remains so. And his teaching aided countless students over the years to become more effective and accomplished.

Developing a powerful personal brand. The concept of a Personal Brand shows no signs of fading: The entire cover of the May-June 2023 issue of Harvard Business Review is devoted to “Build Your Personal Brand: How to communicate your value to the world.” Drucker may or may not have liked the terminology, but his name continues to stand for something, especially when it comes to the study of management. Nearly two decades after his death, he continues to have tremendous name recognition, and that name/brand remains synonymous with quality and high standards. Having a recognizable personal brand encompasses one’s reputation, but it goes beyond that. What do you stand for, and are other people clear about what that is?

The Power of Focused Introspection

Building and maintaining a career success foundation requires an open mind, receptiveness to new and challenging ideas, focused introspection, and the ability and willingness to change. Drucker’s personal example can serve as a guide us to using the same success factors in our own careers and lives.

This means continually thinking more entrepreneurially and more creatively. Drucker carried out his work as a writer, professor, and consultant while learning, meeting, and interacting with people in various walks of life. He tapped into the best information and best expertise, whether that came from a book, an article, or, as much as possible, another person. He shunned complacency and always looked forward to working on his next project.

The Work of a Lifetime

These critical career success factors cannot be achieved overnight. They are better thought of as the work of a lifetime. However, now is a great time to begin the process.

What is the first step, big or small, you can take on your success journey?