Just do it!

As we settle into the New Year, it’s time to focus on YOUR growth, both personally and professionally. That takes a well-prepared game plan. Your path could include continuing formal education, more job training, participation in professional organizations, research on further becoming a subject matter expert, new roles and responsibilities, finding ways to increase your value to your organization, or improving your job performance. Review your past successes and focus on areas to improve. How are you going to get there? How can you improve on your previous successes? Who will help you get further out from your comfort zone? What will it take for you to be open to change – to stretch yourself ever more? Assess and challenge yourself. Environmental support is crucial in doing this. Identify a manager, senior leader, or peer who can be that mentor for you. You’re already successful. It’s proven. Now establish new metrics to measure yourself against. Assess yourself constantly and adjust as needed, but always striving for the end goal. Create a tolerance for risk taking and be prepared to fail as you reach your goal. Failure is not a negative; you learn and grow from failure and it helps you make necessary adjustments to reach your goals. Overcome failure just as you would overcome an objection from a prospective client. Understand the “why” behind the challenge and get beyond it. Feedback is critical in growth. Be sure that your mentor is offering you open and honest feedback, even if you don’t like what you hear. We’re here to grow, right? 

Personally, where do you need to improve? Leadership, time management, handling difficult situations, communication? How can you become a better version of you? Both personal and professional growth requires motivation, desire, and the willingness to make change. The process never ends. It’s not supposed to. We hear the phrase, “Trust the process” all the time. This applies to literally every aspect of growth. In every facet of life.  Understand the process and follow it – without fail. Do not deviate. 

Whatever your goal is, it’s obtainable with a plan. Break your goals down into smaller chunks to accomplish each day, week or month. Set reminders on your calendar to check in on your progress. You’ve got this! You can and will get there! Now be like Nike and “Just do it”!