HOW TO START THE YEAR WITH A WINNING MINDSET
SOURCE: BRAINCRAFT, a management solutions firm.
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Remember: A new year is a fresh chance to look forward to the next phase of your life and think about what you want to accomplish. When we set personal New Years’ resolutions, it is also important that we set career or work related goals as well.
To kick start the year, here are five steps you can take now to achieve your set goals and win big in 2015:
1. Assess your current position: Are you in a position at work which you enjoy and value? Now is a good time to reflect on how you got there and what you need to do to continue to succeed in your current position. Take advantage of opportunities to advance you career and think of different ways to make your job more interesting and fulfilling. If you are not currently where you want to be, then ask yourself what you are willing to change and take steps to change your current situation.
2. Planning is Key: As Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” Write down your top four ideal career paths and what you would need to do to achieve each one. Only include things that you can realistically achieve within the set time frames. Although setting goals for 2015 is your focus here, you should always be looking at least two or three years into the future to make sure your plan has longevity and promise.
3. Start small: Start with the little things that would make a difference in your career growth. For example if you are poor at keeping time, make a personal decision to always arrive before the set time for any appointment or simply getting to work early. It is better to break your goals up into smaller chunks that you can work towards achieving on either a weekly or monthly basis.
4. Be flexible: Be open to new ideas ad new ways to do things. It is difficult to go far in your career if you aren’t flexible to changing situations. Make a personal decision to say ‘yes’ more than ‘no’ at work when it comes to suggestions from your co-workers or superiors about new ways to doing things.
5. Maintain work-life balance: In all of this work-life balance is important. Work-life balance entails having some breathing space for yourself each day; feeling a sense of accomplishment, while not being consumed by work; and having an enjoyable domestic life without short-changing your career obligations. You are more likely to be successful in your work life if you pay attention to your health, your family and friends. Make a point to address these areas in the New Year.
A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start at work. Make that change that would give your career a new direction and a new meaning… … …Today!
