Ask Yourself These 6 Questions To Jumpstart Your 2018 Career Goals

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We are just days away from 2018, which means — yep — it’s time for New Year’s resolutions. While you’re gearing up to begin fulfilling your biggest fitness and personal goals, take a step back and think about your career, too. What did you learn in 2017, and what can you improve upon going forward? Before the New Year hits, reflect on your career and what you’d like to do differently in the months ahead. A good place to start is to ask yourself these six questions. By the time the ball drops, you’ll have a good idea of how you’re hitting 2018 with your best shot.

1. What did I set out to accomplish this year?

First, consider what you wanted to accomplish at the beginning of 2017. Did you want to learn more about the marketing side of your company? Maybe you wanted to prove yourself worthy of a raise. It’s important to keep in mind what you wanted 12 months ago, and how you worked toward those goals throughout the year.

2. What did I accomplish this year?

Take serious stock of all your major accomplishments. It’s okay to have strayed from your original goals as long as you feel fulfilled. If you stayed on track or deviated to learn new things that led you to a better position, celebrate your successes. But if you find yourself counting fewer wins than goals, assess what roadblocks you hit and what you could have done differently.

3. When was I most proud of myself?

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The big moments can sometimes take you by surprise. Maybe your best moment wasn’t that big presentation, but the late night you were the only one willing to help finish a project. Think about what made you successful and why you were proud of yourself. Also consider who was there to witness your accomplishment or who helped you get there. Remember these people and resolve to work more closely with them in 2018 if you can.

4. What challenges did I face?

Every year has its challenges, some you could overcome and some you couldn’t. Working through a toxic environment or having an unfortunate realization about your company are events that can keep you from achieving your short- and long-term goals. So it’s important to understand what happened. More importantly, did you create any of the challenges you faced for yourself? This time is a great opportunity to reflect on situations you didn’t handle as well as you could have, and make a game plan for next year based on what you learned.

5. What can I do differently next year?

Especially after identifying your prior challenges, come to the office prepared with solutions. Are you going to approach certain situations differently or maybe gather the courage to finally speak up for the recognition you deserve? No matter the issue, make a promise to yourself to fine-tune your own performance and resolve the things you have control to fix.

6. Do I have different goals for next year, and what are they?

A lot can change in a year. Maybe you had completely different goals last year at this time than you do now. Maybe you have a different job or career altogether. Take your current situation into account when deciding how to move forward in 2018. Every lesson you learned throughout 2017 should help guide you toward your new goals.