1.  Have a strategy: What is your life strategy? Where are you going? What do you want? How do you think you are going to get there? What does the next 12 months, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years look like? Do you want to travel? Do you want to change the world? Are you hoping to be a CEO one day? Are you wanting to be an entrepreneur? Do you want to help shape the industry you are in? Once you figure out what you want your strategy to be - write it down! Do up a year-long WIP report and make sure you are checking off boxes and delivering on what you set out to achieve.

2.  Know what your boss wants: You cannot deliver on any plan if you don't know what it is. It is also impossible to impress your boss if you don't know what impresses them. Find out! Ask questions, take them for a drink. Basically do whatever it takes to better understand your boss so that you can excel in every area of your job.

3.  Understand your strengths and weaknesses: "One of the biggest mistakes people make is hitting their heads against a brick wall trying to do what they are not good at," Tegan Addinsall, a Marketing Director at Marketing Eye in Melbourne. How true! Write down your strengths and weaknesses and ask your boss and your colleagues for honest feedback. Sometimes, you may think you are not strong at something when in fact you are, or vice-versa.

4.  Ascertain how you can "value add": Superstar performers know how they "value add" to an organisation and exactly what they can do to stand out and make a difference. Pre-empt problems in advance and ensure that they don't happen through careful, strategic planning. Find gaps in the market or in what you are doing, and bring it to the attention of your boss with a possible solution on hand. Never give excuses, only solutions. Don't focus on blaming others, but instead take control and navigate into the future. Have a "to do list" and make sure you tick it off. Never miss a deadline and be someone that everyone can not only rely on but also come to for advice. Know your competitors better than anyone and keep abreast of what they are doing, so that your company can always be a step ahead. 

5. Love what you do: Have a smile on your face every single day and be professional in the way you dress and conduct yourself. Be proud of your accomplishments and that of the people around you in your team. Keep a reminder on your phone of something that inspires you about the brand you work for and make sure the love you have for your job, the people around you and the brand is on show for the rest of the world to see.

If you can follow these simple 5 Ways Employees Can Step Up Their Game ideas and in return, your boss acknowledges that you are good at what you do and how invaluable you are to the brand, you will find that your careers goes ahead in leaps and bounds.