The new year offers you two career choices –
Choice # 1: Keep doing what you have been doing and drift.
Choice # 2: Look at things from a fresh perspective, design a strategy, and make it a year of grand career breakthroughs.
So what’s your choice for 2019?
If you choose the latter, then I recommend you to introspect on the 6 power questions below to help you get started on your journey of grand career breakthroughs in 2019. We can break these questions down into 2 parts–the first part helps you turn around and assess 2018 from a fresh perspective, while the second helps you design powerful strategies for 2019.
But why should you dig into the past? 2018 is over. Should you not begin afresh?
Yes, you should. But I strongly believe that you cannot change your future unless you know what did not work for you in the past. This assessment helps you have a better strategy and improves the chances of achieving the breakthroughs.
Let’s get started with the first part –
1. In your opinion, how was 2018 for your career?
While answering this question don’t just say good, bad or ugly. Have a fresh perspective to test what worked and what didn’t.
Begin by re-looking at the career goal you had set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Did you achieve it? What helped you take a step towards your goal? What put you a step back?
2. What were the investments you made for career advancement?
Everything in life comes at a cost. You need to sow so you can reap. You need to invest to get returns.
Thus you need to evaluate what investments you made to achieve the goals you had set for 2018. How much money did you spend on courses? How much time did you spend in up-skilling? What efforts did you take? What did you do to invest in building relationships in the workplace?
3. What were the moments at your workplace, you were proud of, in 2018?
When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back? I am sure you haven’t for quite some time. Now is a good time to think of those special moments in 2018 that you were proud of. It is unnecessary that others should have appreciated you for this. Think of those moments that made you proud of yourself. Make a list and give yourself a pat on the back for these moments.
Also, list down what was learning you had from these proud moments?
4. What opportunities did you miss out on in 2018?
With highs also come the lows. The way you made a list of moments that made you proud, you need to have a similar list of the moments that made you feel you missed out on the opportunities in 2018. These were the moments when you were just there, but when you were about to take that final step something went wrong and you just missed it.
What were those moments? What was the learning you had from these?
I am sure these questions have helped you evaluate 2018 from a fresh perspective. With this in mind, you now have to look at what you want to achieve in 2019. Let’s look at the power questions of the second part –
5. What career breakthroughs do you want to achieve in 2019?
Let’s face it. You knew what you wanted in 2018 too. But have you achieved it? If yes–outstanding! If not–have a look at the career goal you had. You will get the hint.
In both cases, to achieve grand breakthroughs in 2019, you need to begin by being specific about what you desire.
I want a new job, a promotion, a hefty salary hike–these statements are vague. Be specific about what you want and set timelines. Have just ONE and only ONE BIG BREAKTHROUGH to chase for this year.
6. What investments will you make to ensure you achieve your breakthroughs in 2019?
Like I said earlier, everything in life comes at a cost. You need to sow so that you can reap. You need to invest to get returns.
After knowing the ONE BIG BREAKTHROUGH you want to achieve, you cannot expect miracles to happen to you without making an investment. As you sow, so shall you reap. The bigger your breakthroughs, the larger your investment. So think of what you want to invest in to ensure you achieve your breakthroughs.
Reflecting on these 6 power questions will give you sure-fire power answers to create a rock-solid strategy to achieve your breakthroughs this year. To make it super easy for you, I have put together a workbook that you can download it from www.designyourcareer.co/6pqworkbook.
This workbook will help you take your first step on your grand career breakthrough journey in 2019. So get started now.
I promise you, this year will be your year of grand career breakthroughs.
To a great 2019,
Amit Chilka
10X Career Success Coach
Reach out to me at amit@designyourcareer.co, in case you need me to help you reflect on these questions and create a rock-solid strategy.