Be bold, be audacious; your career is in the palm of your hand says Catherine Middleton
It is a spectacularly beautiful day, and I am sitting here awaiting the arrival of a new year, with hopes for a better world in 2021. New beginnings, new plans and aspirations not yet realised can unfold.
It is time to relinquish complacency and endeavour to instil a renewed vigour into our everyday lives, as we need to appreciate that time is finite. A resolution of undertaking today what we should not be leaving until tomorrow. They say procrastination is the thief of time, and we are all guilty of that at one time or another.
Careers don’t have to end abruptly due to a change of circumstance. Careers are malleable, they change course, take a short break, undergo a major transformation, or gently bob along until such time as a person is prepared to take a chance and take the next step.
I am sharing my plans here for the year to come to instil the notion that your career is in the palm of your hand. You alone have the power to make or break any aspirations you may have for your future. The hardest step of any journey is the first, it takes effort and a mindset of “I can do this”.
My Career Commitments for 2021
I had planned to run an in-person seminar in May to celebrate Office Professionals Day; however with the current climate I am now producing a webinar, which will be my first commitment for the new year. Thank goodness for video conferencing platforms for making this a goal I can achieve! I think this mode of communication will be a significant boost to our skill toolkit for quite some time to come.
My second commitment will be to launch a new website “Career Coaching with Catherine Middleton”, a step I should have undertaken 12 months ago. Sometimes ideas need time to germinate before we take our first step to make them happen.
My third commitment is to invest in personal growth, by undertaking further study.
Those of us who experience ‘Mondayitis’ each week are relinquishing hundreds of hours of enlightenment, as we trudge through the beginning of each week, while those who ‘hit the ground running’ experience more of what life has to offer. They are glass-half-full people with a zest for challenges and the excitement offered up in the opportunities that present themselves when they are open to pursuing them.
There is an old saying that sometimes you must take one step back to take two steps forward. What better time than right now to review, readjust and remember what you are passionate about. Whether it is a particular industry that interests you, a particular role where you know you could excel, or perhaps a line of study that would propel you towards your goals, now is the right time to plan ahead.
Ask yourself:
- What is my purpose?
- Why am I doing what I am doing if I am not achieving role satisfaction?
- What is it going to take to hit the ‘reset’ button and get back on track to where I saw myself heading at an earlier time in my life?
Undertake a Career Audit
To start the ball rolling, try undertaking a review consisting of the following actions:
- A skills audit of strengths and weaknesses to ascertain where further study or training might be beneficial.
- A review of your Resume/CV, ensuring it reflects up to date information.
- A review of your LinkedIn profile.
- Check your social media platforms to ensure there is no controversial language or content.
- Undertake research to discover who is hiring, which companies are expanding, relocating etc.
- Consider registering your resume on employment platforms.
There will be many other actions that could be incorporated here, however this will give you give you a starting point.
This is your life, and your career is in the palm of your hand. Be bold, be audacious. No one wants to live half a life. As NIKE says, ‘Just Do It’.
