A Fresh Focus in your Career for the New Year

It’s that time of year when the mass populous stops to think about the past year and set new goals for the new. It’s the season of gym memberships peaking and hopeful optimism about what the future holds. Sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in setting lofty goals and we end up not being able to make it from point A to point B. Why? Because we fail to either make our goals practical and achievable, or we fail to plan and take the practical steps it takes to reach those lofty goals. So the trick is to make goals that are achievable. That doesn’t mean that your goals should be so easy that they aren’t really a challenge. It just means that setting a goal also requires planning steps that are practically doable in your life right now.

So, while you’re thinking of your new year’s resolutions, here are a few helpful reminders to keep you on track so that you can attain those dreams and goals you have for the new year:

1. ASSESS. The first thing that must be done before setting any kind of life or career goal is to assess your current situation. Just as you wouldn’t build a house before first surveying the land, you can’t set a goal without really understanding your current situation and circumstances. Sit down, perhaps with a professional, and assess your current status. Career. Personal. Spiritual. Take it all into account. What are you happy with? What are you unhappy with? What are some things that need to change? What do you need more of in your life? Once you’ve answered these questions, you will have come a long way to creating some goals for the new year!
2. TIME MANAGEMENT. Ahh, yes. Time management. Those words either make you beam, or make you cringe. Because you most likely either excel in this area, or completely suck at it. Either way, there is always room for improvement. Think about the time wasted on things that don’t matter, or due to poor planning. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you’re good with time management, be careful to not miss opportunities to connect with people or enjoy moments because you’re too busy staying on task. Healthy time management should empower you to accomplish all that needs to be done in a timely manner, but also leave some breathing room to deviate from the schedule should the need arise.
3. DELEGATE. As you’re thinking about how you can better manage your time, think about the things that rob you of your time and what can be done about it. Can it be cut out completely? Can it be delegated to someone else? Do you have someone you can delegate to? If not, can this be remedied?
4. COMMUNICATE. You can set goals and work hard to achieve them, but no matter who you are, you likely depend on other people. Most success stories involve a team or at least a network of support, therefore, communication is key! (You know you’ve heard that before a few times!) Be sure to communicate goals, changes, and especially praise to your team– whatever that looks like! Great leaders have people in their lives that they can be accountable to and lean on. Being open and communicating goes a long way in making the path to achieve your goals a smooth one!
5. ENJOY. Have you heard the phrase, “Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.”? Well, it is so true. If you’re always focused on the next big thing, you will never be happy. You will never reach your goal because your goal is always the “next” thing! And while success tends to be always moving forward, there is much to be said about achieving a goal. Celebrate. And then make new goals! On top of that, be sure to recognize and enjoy the little moments all along the way. An amazing amount of growth takes place when we choose to be present in the moment. Connections are made. Wisdom is gained. Experience is increased, and you ultimately become a better, stronger person.
6. BE HEALTHY. OK, so you’re probably either rolling your eyes, or thinking, “preach it!”. Our culture as a whole has taken a huge turn toward being health conscious, and that’s a good thing! So I’m not going to stay on it, but I will just mention that taking whatever practical steps you can to live a healthier lifestyle can only help you achieve your goals. So find a mentor or buddy to help you on your journey to get healthier. Or if you’re a health nut already, maybe you can be there for someone else. Keep in mind that getting healthier isn’t always a hugely daunting diet and exercise regimen. It might need to just start off as getting up from your desk every hour to move around, maybe do some stretches. Maybe drinking more water and less soda. Do what you can one step at a time and it will be a step in the right direction! Lastly, reward yourself for a job well done! (just maybe not with a dozen cookies…)
7. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK. If you really think about it, there are probably at least a couple of people you can think of that really impacted your life. Once you met them, your outlook on life changed, or your path changed direction, a door of opportunity opened, or you grew through an encounter with someone. It happens. And probably more often than we would expect. But if we get all snug in our routines and rarely step outside of them to meet new people, our chances for new opportunities and growth are greatly diminished. What can you do to expand your network? Do some charitable volunteer work? Go to a networking group? Reach out to an acquaintance and invite them to dinner? People and opportunities are everywhere. Its up to us to make the connections.
8. LEARN. There is always something you can learn. If you just google “quotes about learning”, you will find that our world’s greatest leaders had some pretty strong ideas about always learning and growing. If you are in a place where you feel like you’ve learned all their is to know, it’s time to broaden your horizons! Bring in some outside expertise, create a round table of advisors to share ideas and opinions, or take up a new hobby. Whatever you do, never stop learning!
9. EMBRACE CHALLENGE. This one goes hand in hand with learning. We learn through failure. You’re probably familiar with Edison’s quote, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” That is a loaded statement! But just think about what we can accomplish if we decide to view every failure as a learning opportunity– and opportunity for growth! Some of the greatest inventions are made from necessity– formed as a solution to a challenging problem. Embracing challenge is a must on any path to success.
10. CELEBRATE. We can accomplish the loftiest of goals, but unless we learn to stop and celebrate– enjoy the little moments of success and accomplishment along the way, what kind of achievement have we really made? What is success and accomplishment unless we recognize and enjoy it? Be sure to enjoy and share your success with those around you and then make your next set of goals!

Here are The Wineinger Company, we work with you or your team to assess and develop a growth strategy that is right specifically for you. Contact us to learn more!