Many of you are smack-dab in the middle of the “countdown to Christmas” frenzy. You are busy shuttling from store-to-store or feverishly searching online for the perfect gift since there are only four “shopping days left until Christmas” (as the evening news reminds us every night). You may be preparing to travel across the country to spend time with friends and family or you may be decking your own halls as part of your own family’s holiday traditions.
Regardless of your personal circumstances, now is a GREAT time reflect on the current state of your career and evaluate whether it’s living up to what you want it to be. Here are four tips to get you started on the right path (I call these the four D’s)!
Devote time to your develop your career strategy. Block out time on Monday, December 28th to begin your evaluation. The 28th is a great day because it’s after the holiday frenzy, it falls on a Monday which always symbolizes a fresh start, and it will allow you to put a plan in place so that you can hit the ground running on January 1.
Decide what you want out of your career next year. What are your goals? Do you want to get promoted? Switch jobs? Take a class? Turn a passion into a profession? Start a side-hustle? I challenge you to really stretch yourself and consider what your dream career would look like. Where will you be working? What will you be doing? Write down ALL of the details.
Develop your plan. You next need to map out your plan of action. How will you actually accomplish your goals? What steps do you need to take? What people do you need to speak with or meet? I challenge you to put strict timelines in place and hold yourself accountable for your accomplishments. I give myself mini-rewards every time I hit a goal. What kinds of incentives will motivate you?
Determine what resources you need. Now that you want to know where you want to go and how you will get there, think about what tools you will need. Start small – what do you need to have in place? What help will you need? What classes will you need to take? What resources should you invest in? How will you expand your networking circle? Take a great deal of time outlining everything you will need to accomplish your goals.
So, remember, be sure to block out time on Monday, December 28th to put your plan together. 2011 will be your best year yet!