How will next year look different from now? Most people’s New Year’s intentions don’t last much past the first quarter. Make the most of the seasonal momentum by treating yourself as you would a professional project you manage effectively.
Open your calendar and create an event that repeats monthly for 12 months. Create your own self-assessment quiz to ask yourself the same three questions throughout the year—this will start you thinking about what to do throughout the year to keep improving along the way. Note that the following questions allude to professional (and personal) skills you’ll have used to promote yourself at work and in life:
1. Why am I doing all this? The “purpose” discussion is valuable to have at least once a year. When you know what you do matters, it makes late nights and long hours easier to manage.
2. What did I learn? Successful people continue to learn. Every day they look for ways to expand what they know, add to that knowledge base, and apply what they know better.
3. Who’s on “Team Me”? The five people you spend the most time with influence what you talk about at work, what you think about at home, what you worry about on your commute. Change your friends, change your life.
Want to make this even more real? Connect with someone you trust to share your three answers with on a monthly basis.