It’s this time of year again. The holidays are coming. Yet, this holiday season is different; unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before. It’s been a rough, complicated year, in which we had to rethink routines and make necessary adjustments. Being in the midst of a major setback, with rising COVID-19 cases and no end in sight to the pandemic, we are called upon to embrace the long-haul. As we re-asses holiday plans, it might be a good time to reprioritize and redesign our approach to goal-setting.
I started 2020 vowing to make it the best year ever. I was excited to kick off the beginning of a new decade with big stretch goals. I first started the journey toward my resolution with luck on my side, wind in my back, and a spring in my step. I even managed to sneak in a trip to Patagonia. I completed the Torres del Paine W-Trek and crossed it off my bucket list (in the nick of time) before the world shut down. And then the hurdles kept getting in the way. One by one, my goals tanked. It’s funny how within a couple short few months you can go from planning for your best year to being challenged with a major life overhaul. As my grandma used to say (in Yiddish): “Mann Tracht Un Gott Lacht,” which translates to “Man Plans and God Laughs.” We really should know better. A plan is nothing but an aspirational future reality that’s subject to change, always.
The fatal flaw of setting goals is the lack of a crystal ball showing the realities of a looming crisis unfolding. Goals may also trigger the negative script living in our reptilian brain telling us we aren’t good enough. But when we think about goals as a tool for self-betterment, no challenge can get in the way of living life to the fullest possible in each given moment. Human growth potential is unlimited. While we can be content with who we are, what we have, and where we are in our life and career, we can still enjoy the pleasure that comes from striving to be the best we can be despite a global pandemic, or other unfortunate events. This takes commitment, time, practice, and good habits. But there’s no start nor expiration date on setting and working toward goals. Every day is day one, an opportunity to start fresh and make a new resolution. The following 364 days are equally important decision-days to find ways to keep moving forward.
Let’s not wait for the New Year & make a commitment to year-round goal-setting. Every day is a great day to think about your next goal. The beginning of the year is a great time to look back and reflect upon last year’s achievements. However, in our fast-paced life, there’s a constant barrage of information and changes. Thus, keeping constant watch on personal & professional growth is vital. Career development starts with a career-affirming habit to think about big goals 365 days a year and resolving to prioritize, set, and work toward becoming the best version of ourselves at any given time.
Every goal is the sequence of well-orchestrated strategic plan connecting achievable action steps to be accomplished over a period of time. And there we have the crux of the problem. Time can be either friend or foe. It can propel us, or it can slip through our fingers like sand. We are indeed masters of our time, free to fritter it away, or wisely harness it for career success.
There are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 52 weeks in a year. It’s hard enough to muster the motivation to pursue goals in the best of times, let alone when the world seems to be falling apart. But when your world comes crashing down, it might be an opportunity to affirm what you really want and rise above the circumstances to find creative ways to get your potential to shine through. Replace “prefect” with “the best under the circumstances.” Fully utilize the things working in your favor and sidestep the things that may be holding you back. Stay positive and strive to do all that’s possible even when the situation seems impossible.
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