Even those who hate the term “resolution” likely have career goals for the year ahead. Whether it is starting a leadership position, growing as a thought leader in your industry, or completely redirecting your career path, almost everyone has something they are trying to achieve professionally. Here are some simple things you can do to ensure that you reach your career goals in 2023. And, they all start with self-reflection and self-discovery.

INVEST IN A NEW BOOK FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Investing in a new book for personal development can help individuals interpret themselves in a more positive manner. Below some of my favorites and why they would be beneficial to anyone looking to accomplish major goals this year:

• The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain by Dr. Tara Swart

Written by a neuroscientist, psychiatric doctor, and senior lecturer at MIT Sloan, this book explores how the brain impacts the way we make decisions and behave. By knowing the ways in which your brain helps or hinders you, you may be able to better understand your strengths and weaknesses. It also stresses the importance of trusting your intuition.

• Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems by: Wendy Smith, Marianne Lewis, and Amy C. Edmondson

If you are someone who struggles with decision making, this book may be beneficial by teaching you to think in a different way. Rather than just seeing choice A and B, it opens your mind up to seeing choice C. If the push and pull within your head can be too much, give this book a read.

• Recalculating: Navigating Your Career Through the Changing World of Work by: Lindsey Pollack

This book is perfect for this time of year as we all navigate transition and change this year. Written by one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts, this is an excellent guide for handling career obstacles and helping one to see them as challenges, rather than roadblocks.

JOURNAL AND REFLECT

Getting a journal to help you reflect on your past year at work will be incredibly beneficial in this process. It is important to ask yourself:  When did you feel at your strongest in the last year at work? What were you doing? Where were you? What led to that experience? What would you do more of or differently to experience more strong moments in 2023? Writing your answers down can lead to some “aha!” moments.

UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

Along with journaling, writing a personal mission statement for the year will help you frame what you want to accomplish, both professionally and personally. In doing this, it is crucial to reflect on your strengths and skills and consider what you are motivated by and can put to good work in both business and personal life. Our strengths and skills are varied, and having a mission statement that highlights your unique and diverse set of skills can allow you to feel connected to it.

I recommend you revisit this statement every six months. Rather than writing this in your journal, I recommend you put this on your phone so you have it with you as a constant reminder. Start by drafting the strengths and skills you want to deliver on until the summer. When it is time to reflect on your statement, ask yourself what else you want to achieve before the end of 2023?

COMPLETE A FREE, ONLINE SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Taking a free skills assessment online is a great way to learn more about your strengths and skills. These assessments help individuals see their realized and unrealized strengths. This will help make sure your goals for this year are aligned with what you enjoy and what gives you energy, helping you to actually stick to them.

CONDUCT A REVIEW OF YOUR LINKEDIN

The great thing about LinkedIn is that it tells you how complete your profile is. In other words, the social media platform will make it clear to you if something needs to be updated. LinkedIn has a wealth of tips, as well as a skills section where you can add skills that resonate with your mission statement.

I recommend looking at people you admire on Linkedin, as well, and take note of how they are using the platform. Think about the purpose in which you want to use LinkedIn for, whether it is for a job search or becoming more of an expert in your field. This will then help you form the content you post to reach more people.

People have an easier time committing to a habit if it feels beneficial to them, so it is crucial that you consistently put in the work to achieve your career goals and really get that sense of accomplishment. It is important to think of the skills you need to reach your career goals like a muscle you need to consistently work out in order for you to truly be successful.

By following these five tips, you will be able to get a better understanding of who you are as well as what you want to achieve both personally and professionally in the new year.