(Photo by Daniil Kuželev on Unsplash)
When we hear the term visionary, it’s often applied to leaders, but who’s leading your career? Isn’t it you? And if that’s the case, then don’t you need to have a clear direction or vision for where your career is headed?
This past week I’ve spent some intentional time just thinking about the future of my business/career and it was very eye opening. Someone asked me once, what help I needed (or how they could support my business) and I realized in that moment (a few years ago) that I had no idea what they could do for me because I hadn’t thought about where I was going next and what resources it would take to get there. Since that day, I knew I needed to start getting clear on what the future could look like for me (notice I said COULD, because we must stay flexible and open). But here are some of the questions I asked myself:
1. What do you want to do now, next, and in the next 5 years?
2. Why do I want to do this?
3. By when do I want to achieve it?
4. What will it mean for me when it becomes reality?
5. What obstacles are between me and my goal (real or perceived)?
6. How will I measure/track my progress to know when I have achieved it?
I encourage you to take a few moments and think through at least one goal you want to accomplish in the next year and one goal for the next 5 years. Then follow this series of questions to guide you through planning it out. Too often, I see the “where do you see yourself in 5 years” question come up during interviews and too many stumble over their responses because they’ve never actually thought about it. As always, I am your proactive career navigator and this is another important element to your career journey. Comment (or email me) and let me know what challenges you’re facing, otherwise, keep pushing!
Written by Brenda M. Cunningham: The one who will tell you like it is and help you get to where you want to be in your career. Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation. pushcareermanagement.com