The start of a new year is the perfect time to think big. What would you like to accomplish in 2019 to better your life in both the short- and long-term?
To chart your path to a successful future, you must first determine where you want to go. A more profitable career? Quality time with your family? Buying a new home? Once you determine your destination, then you can map out the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your desired future.
To help you turn goals into action, here are 3 concrete things you can do today to ensure a successful 2019.
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1. Have a Plan. We all have good intentions. Just welcoming 2019 and hoping that things are going to be better is not really a plan. Time flies, and before you know it we’ll be celebrating 2020! Therefore, we need to be prepared and ready to tackle our priorities every day. Your plan is most effective if you create a vision path statement taking into consideration three key elements: career, family and interests. Take the time to write your vision path statement, which identifies the outcomes you are striving to reach by the end of 2019. Then, on a monthly or bi-weekly basis, evaluate how your performance is tracking towards these outcomes. This allows you to re-tool and re-direct your efforts as necessary.
2. Commit and Communicate. Any coach will tell you: if you want to commit to something, communicate it to others. This way you will be held accountable. For instance, at the beginning of 2018 I committed to sharing my negotiation message across the country as a keynote speaker. I shared my advice on social media, television, radio shows and podcasts. I’m pleased to say that I presented my message in front of amazing and diverse audiences around the country at least once a month. I also more than doubled my LinkedIn network and was interviewed in a dozen podcasts. These next few weeks, I’ll be working with my team to identify our goals for 2019!
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3. Advocate for yourself. It all begins with you! I encourage you to make Self Advocacy a priority in 2019. Instead of waiting for somebody else to speak up for you, empower yourself to share your ideas and ask the necessary questions to better understand the situation you are managing. This could be a raise, promotion, access to a new project, etc. Whatever your goal is, realize you are your own expert! Take the leap, speak up and ask!
I would love to hear from you! What are the challenges you have encountered when negotiating for a job offer, higher salary or a promotion? Connect with me on Twitter: @elizabethsuarez.
