No doubt being a manager represents achieving a key career goal for you. This is a good thing, of course, and an accomplishment of which you should feel proud. But don't rest on your laurels. Even if your little environment seems stable, the world around you is changing. Keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities. It doesn't hurt to interview for a job or two each year, just to keep your interviewing skills honed.

While your history forms the foundation for your future, what used to be won't necessarily prevail in the years to come — witness film cameras, videotape players, slide rules, typewriters, floppy disk drives, and parallel printer cables. These former staples of the work environment are now nothing more than memories. Keep your career in your hands, not at the mercy of factors you can't control.