So the decorations are up, the shopping is done (maybe not, but you know you’ll feel better when it is!), and the wind down is on for you to hopefully get a break for a week or longer from what has been a strange and challenging year at work (and in life).
Now, I know I constantly go on about making time for yourself to relax and that won’t change. But this Christmas, I’d like you include a little bit of thinking time just for you. Time to think about where you are in your career, reflect on what you’ve achieved and do some planning as to what your next career move could be.
This can be a daunting thing to do so I thought I’d point you in the right direction. I’ve been working on something quite special for the New Year that will really help on that front but in the meantime I’d like you to muse on the following, a condition being that you have a glass of something nice and finish that Christmas shopping.
What have I accomplished?
You’ve had a tough year, that I can almost guarantee. But, take the time to really think about what you have achieved. What have I learned? How have I grown?
You may also want to ask yourself…
What have I seen through from start to finish? Have I had an impact? What improvements have I implemented? Have I taken on additional responsibilities? And of course there is the influence you have had on others.
Something else to consider is, have you been recognised for your achievements? If the answer is that you are frustrated that you haven’t been then I can tell you that you are not alone. This is a common complaint from many of my clients and it is one the driving forces behind some new developments from Generation Women in January.
Where do I want to be in a years time?
Asking yourself what happiness and success means to me…what it looks/ feels/ sounds like is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Without having an idea of what it is…your goals can become aimless and difficult to achieve. And this question isn’t just for the workplace, it’s a holistic question. How do you see your life in a perfect world? What job do you see yourself in? Can you visialise the house you will live in? What will your average 24 hours look like? Sure, these are big questions but you must ask yourself the big things to get a handle on what it is YOU want. And there is no better time to ask that when you are relaxed and reflecting on your year. It can be the spark to ignite a life changing career move.
What will make me look good?
The perception others have of you is one of the cornerstones of your success. I’ve found time and time again with clients that when they focus on their personal brand they get success, and many times at a remarkable rate. Understanding what you want others to say about you when you’re not in the room, and how to market yourself to achieve that will have a profound effect on your career.
You need to think about how people see you. What do I want to be known for? How can I help others understand my strengths and buy into my vision for my future?
Who can I talk to?
It’s definitely not easy to achieve success alone. We all need to build a strong network of supporters and people that help us grow. Who do you have and need on your team to achieve your goals? Obviously a career coach will definitely help, not just in identifying the right people but in building a strategy to develop the authentic connections you need.
Take this time to think about who you can rely on to assist you in your journey to where you want to go. You might even find that Christmas is the perfect time to approach a family member or friend and talk about what you want to achieve. What are your best qualities? You might think you know but it’s often someone who really loves you that can highlight something that you never thought about.
All of these questions may seem like challenging questions to ask yourself. I get it. I’ve been there.
But once you give yourself time, real quality “you time” to think about them you will start to see things much more clearly. They may even throw up some more questions (in fact there is no “may” about it, they will) but that’s progress. You need to get started on YOU. And you need to get started now. If you don’t start this Christmas you’ll be on the Generation Women naughty list for next year (I’ve no idea what that entails but I’ll put some thought into that along with all the questions I’ve urged you to think about).
It’s been a wonderful, inspiring, strange, worrying, and ultimately successful year for Generation women. It’s been a success because I’ve been party of so many amazing women’s journeys to achieving incredible things.
So, here’s to next year, where we can kickstart 2021 with a bang…you won’t want to miss what’s coming next!
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Stay safe and keep shining x
