Set Your Direction Before January

Notebook / Laptop

Casual

When it comes to setting goals for the year, most people never give themselves the time and space to decide what they actually want. The goal gets set by what the company needs, what the market rewards, and what the next rung looks like. So: what do you want next year, for you? You might be weighing some version of these five. 1. Go deeper into your expertise 2. Move up the ladder 3. Switch company, industry or function 4. Explore what's outside 5. Get another certification, or go back to school And you'll probably leave it until January, because that’s when everybody does this. Here's the problem with that. The decision takes time, and January gives you a weekend. Decide in a weekend, and you'll reach for whatever is closest. - Last year's unfinished goal, recycled. - The next obvious step, because everyone around you can see it. - Or a peer's goal, borrowed from someone who looks like they're moving faster than you. That's how most directions get set. Rushed and inherited. November is the better month for it. This hour is for choosing for yourself!