Five Years from Now: Your Career, Your Choice

Ok…let’s be honest with ourselves. How many of us actually planned out the last five years of our careers? As much as we might like to believe we had every aspect of our working lives covered, the fact is, most people don’t plan ahead that far. Many of us often don’t even plan out the next day.

Have you ever looked back five years and felt a little regret? Maybe you wished you’d taken a different job, pursued a new skill, or simply challenged yourself more. It's common to feel this way when we lack a clear direction.

Choose a direction for your career by choosing a destination. We often keep our focus too short to ever create anything substantial in the future. A 5-year set of goals is a good step towards making impressive changes in your career.

Without a long-term plan to achieve those goals, your career is unlikely to change much. You put yourself at the mercy of luck. Instead, choose to be intentional and take more control of your future direction.

Let’s focus on how you can do this.

Start with Self-Reflection:

1.???? Where are you now? Assess your current role, responsibilities, and skills. What do you enjoy about your work? What are your pain points? What are your successes? What are your inhibitors? Do you see opportunities for real growth, or do you feel stuck?

2.???? Where do you want to be? Envision your ideal career five years from now. What does success look like to you? What level of responsibility do you aspire to? What’s your title? Same organization or something new?

3.???? What are your values? The previous edition of Career Growth Catalyst discussed how to align your career goals with your personal values. This is an important step that will help you make decisions that resonate with you.

Identify Your Goals:

1.???? Short-term goals: Set achievable objectives for shorter time periods that ramp up into your longer-term plan – next week, next month, next six months, a year from today. These might include acquiring new skills, taking on additional responsibilities, or networking with key stakeholders – inside and outside of your organization.

2.???? Long-term goals: Define your ultimate career aspirations. Where do you see yourself in five years? What position or industry do you want to be in? How much money are you making? Are you a leader? If so, how are you helping others to meet their career goals?

Develop Your Action Plan:

1.???? Skill development: Identify the skills and knowledge you need to acquire. Consider formal education, certifications, or online courses. If none of those are possible right now, identify and create the group of individuals in your universe who would be great teachers for the skills you need for the future.

2.???? Networking: Build authentic relationships with individuals who can be helpful contributors to building your career. Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and leverage social media to extend your knowledge of who these people are and develop and execute strategies on how to best and regularly engage with them.

3.???? Experience: Seek opportunities to gain experience in areas that align with your career goals. If your current job doesn’t provide this experience, find opportunities to volunteer, take on collateral duty projects, or closely study how others do it and emulate them.

Create a Support System:

1.???? Accountability partner: Find a trusted colleague, friend, or mentor who served as an accountability partner for staying motivated and focused on your goals. Choose someone who supports your aspirations and is committed to helping you succeed. Regular check-ins with your partner can provide encouragement, challenge you to stay on track, and offer fresh perspectives on your progress.

2.???? Coaching: Consider investing in an executive coach to provide you with an objective perspective to help you identify specific goals and develop strategies to achieve them. The focus is on skill development, problem-solving, and accountability in a 100 percent safe and confidential space. Think of a coach as your mirror…the thought partner who will tell you about the mustard on your shirt that others won’t ever mention. Every successful professional needs an unfiltered point of view - a safe sounding board and a space for conversation without consequences.

Review and Adjust:

1.???? Regular evaluation: Put prescribed time on your calendar to plan and track your progress on a regular basis. Develop key milestones and determine if your progress is on track or needs specific attention to improving your focus on moving forward. Nobody on the planet is going to care about this more than you, so commit yourself to your progression.

2.???? Flexibility: Be open to changes in your plan. The job market and your personal circumstances may transform in a flash (in a good or bad way), so you have to be prepared to transition and refocus as needed on a dime.

Remember: Your 5-year plan is a living document. It should evolve as you gain new experiences and insights. The most important thing is to take action and move towards your desired career path.

#personaldevelopment #motivation #careerplanning #executivecoaching