Here's how you can maintain motivation and focus on your long-term career goals.

Write down your "why" and display it somewhere in your workplace where you can see it. For example, a post-it note on your laptop. Change it as often as you'd like depending on your mood. Keep in mind, your message doesn't need to be something super upbeat and positive. Sometimes, I'll write down a brief reminder of where I've been and how stressful it was. That helps me actually appreciate where I am now, and gives me a motivation boost to continue moving forward.

Often, it’s tough to “reflect” if you have never been used to mindfulness. However, it’s an acquired skill that anyone can improve with a bit of intention. Contemplation should be active for finding out your why, but being curious to do it is the best way you can go about it if you are doing this for the first time—there is no shame associated with it, and you are not late to the game. There is no shame in approaching a professional to figure out your ‘why’.

To maintain motivation and focus on your long-term career goals, especially during phases of life like midlife malaise, it's crucial to avoid comparisons to others. Reflect on your own journey and ensure your goals still align with your core values. Create a balanced life by nurturing passions and relationships outside of work. Regularly reassess and adjust your career objectives to stay aligned with your evolving values and priorities. This holistic approach will keep you motivated and focused, even during challenging times.

Long-term goals require turning personal interests into personal actions. However you want to think about it, it requires step-by-step planning and accountability. You are better off finding a mentor or action partner who is in an adjacent industry to your own. That means someone who you're not competing against, but with whom you share common interests.

In David Goggin's two books, "Can't Hurt Me" & "Never Finished", there's an idea of The Cookie Jar. In times of mental distress or self doubt, we need to reach into this Cookie Jar for answers we need in the moment. These could be proven certificates of excellence, or mental milestones. When we're really in a stressful situation, we need to have those answers to the questions of self doubt. Remembering the people who look up to us, believe in us. Looking back at awards from high school. These were all things that made us who we are today and help us remember who we are or what we're made of. Self talk is the only thing we have in stressful times. Remember to be positive, fill your cookie jar, and believe in the you who's already done it.

1. “Small steps lead to big achievements. Recognizing and celebrating each milestone keeps the momentum going and ensures you’re constantly moving forward.” 2. “Milestones provide a clear roadmap, making the journey towards your goal less overwhelming and more structured.” 3. “Regularly evaluating your progress at each milestone helps identify what’s working and what needs adjustment, ensuring you’re always on the right track.” 4. “Celebrating milestones not only rewards your efforts but also reinvigorates your commitment to the overall goal.” 5. “By breaking down your goals, you create a series of manageable tasks that are easier to accomplish and track, leading to a more organized and focused approach.”

Hay que tener claro la visibilidad de los objetivos y dividirlos en espacios cortos,, que se logre alcanzar una posible división, capaz de ser manejables en buena proporción y abonar terreno para el próximo alcance y mantener el entusiasmo mientras se va evaluando lo realizado. Todo esto ofrece la visión de un plan que va siendo evaluado en porciones de logros, y tenerlos muy claros, de tal manera que infunda nuevos impulsos para el siguiente paso.

Visualization is a potent tool in maintaining motivation. Imagine yourself achieving your career goals, experiencing the success and recognition that comes with it. This mental rehearsal can enhance your confidence and motivation, as it prepares your mind for success. Visualization not only helps in maintaining focus but also primes your brain to recognize the opportunities that will lead you to your goals.

Visualizing success isn't just about picturing what success looks like. It's also about what you visualize regarding the negative thoughts that inevitably come to mind. I worked with a college distance runner to help improve their performance. They kept having doubts during their runs after coming back from an injury. We built a practice together of visually discarding those negative thoughts as they arose. Not only did they set a personal record, they also made it to nationals. Visualization is powerful.

Sirve como una luz guía que nos mantiene en el camino, incluso ante los desafíos y contratiempos. . Cuando nos vemos siendo exitosos estamos construyendo el futuro éxito. No solo sirve para distraer a la mente del problema, sino también para empezar a construir el éxito. Se trata de imaginar cómo sería tu vida si ya hubieras alcanzado tu objetivo, sintiendo las emociones que lo acompa?a

Receiving feedback is essential for maintaining motivation and focus on long-term career goals because it provides a clear, subjective or objective assessment of our current progress and performance in work or in life. Without feedback, we risk developing cognitive dissonance, where our perceptions do not align with reality, leading to poor self-judgment and potential stagnation. Constructive feedback and different perspectives helps identify strengths to build upon and areas needing improvement, guiding us towards continuous growth and ensuring we stay aligned with our career aspirations. It is important to note to practice empathy in order to evaluate feedback correctly. Not every feedback is a reason to change!

The ability to stay adaptable is critical. Sometimes there’s a misconception that progress and success follow a perfect straight line, when in reality the line looks more like peaks and valleys. Staying realistic here and being able to pivot and shift gears when needed can help the process feel less discouraging when you’re in a valley.

In my opinion staying adaptable in your career is crucial because it allows you to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the professional world with resilience and agility. The world never stays still and the environment around us is on a constant move. Adaptability fosters continuous learning, enables you to embrace new challenges, and ensures that you remain relevant and competitive. By being open to change and willing to adjust your strategies, you can better capitalize on opportunities, overcome obstacles, and sustain long-term success. This mindset not only enhances your problem-solving skills but also positions you as a valuable asset to any organization or individual, ready to innovate and lead in dynamic environments.

I think networking and maintaining relationships are crucial for long-term career success as they open doors to new opportunities, provide support and guidance, and enhance your professional reputation. The saying there is no 'I' in 'Team' makes sense in a lot of ways! While it is important to perform also on your own, building a strong network allows you to learn from others, gain diverse perspectives, and stay informed about industry trends. Moreover, relationships foster trust and collaboration, which are essential for career growth and advancement. By investing in your professional connections, you create a valuable support system that can help you navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and achieve your career goals.

To foster success in your career, maintaining relationships is essential. People prefer to work with those they trust and know. Engaging in conversations and offering your insights can greatly benefit you. Most of the opportunities in my career have arisen from previous contacts. It's important to acknowledge the influence of our mentors in shaping our professional identities. When faced with challenges or uncertainties, mentors provide encouragement and help navigate difficult transitions.

Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, is crucial for adaptability and achieving long-term goals in the workplace. It enables people to learn new skills, solve problems creatively, cope with stress, continuously improve, and adapt to changing roles and responsibilities, thus supporting sustained performance and growth. People can enhance neuroplasticity by learning new skills, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in social interactions, getting adequate sleep, practicing mindfulness, and avoiding routine.

Visuals of the goal. All the above support and contribute to successfully remaining motivated towards a long-term goal. Reflection is imperative. Yet, research data shows that the more there are images, visualizations, and models of what you want to reach, the likely you are to internalize its possibility and achieve it. The achievement must be visualized in phases, where each phase seems equally achievable, until reaching the end.

Motivation is a mismatch when it comes to long term vision. It has to be inside-out, & the apt word is inspiration. Life is big and so is our career & it happens so rarely that you set your first job & make a career out of it. In today's scenario, you need to necessarily look at these; 1. Specific Industry plan 2. Join the industry & focus on optimum learnings 3. Ensure every year pass by is a growth story 4. Do not repeat the same work the following year 4. Gain management experiences 5. Be learning agile & embrace new learnings 6. Invest in futuristic traits/skills 7. Form strong opinions 8. Exercise EI & empathy 9. Learn leadership styles 10.Empower people Push yourself rather than get pulled to focus on career growth!

Raison D’être- your reason for being can often be found in the work that you do. It does not mean that when your title changes that your long term goals or your understanding of yourself should. Giving yourself time to make the adjustments needed during transitions is not easy. Personally, I have struggled with self worth after losing jobs and struggling financially as a result. However, even promotions have given me the same feelings of inadequacy and situational depression symptoms. The more you understand yourself the better prepared you will be to make the changes needed to be successful in life.