May Busch* 0ffers an alternative to those New Year resolutions that are easy to make and even easier to break.
We’re at the time of year when you’re ‘supposed to’ set New Year resolutions and goals for your career and life.
Whether this is a happy thought or fills you with dread, there’s another more foundational way to prepare yourself for the year to come.
It’s about setting a personal vision for yourself — one that acts as a guiding light throughout the year.
Here are three questions to ask yourself that provide you with the equivalent of a compass, not a map.
With things changing all the time, it’s far more useful to have a compass that guides you rather than a map that can become outdated and lead you astray.
Who do you want to become in a year’s time?
This is about the kind of person you want to be rather than a set of accomplishments you want to check off your list.
It’s about being rather than doing.
For example, maybe you want to become someone who feels comfortable in your own skin, having the confidence that leads to you speaking up without anxiety.
It’s a feeling you’ll have, not a task to accomplish, and you can envision how that will feel once you’ve arrived.
For me, it’s to become someone who doesn’t worry about things outside of my control.
When I was in my corporate career, it was about being aligned with my values.
For years, I said that my family came first but then never took my husband’s calls when I was in the office.
One day as I was talking to my boss’s boss, the call director yelled across the trading desk that it was my husband on the line.
I shouted back my usual: “I’ll call him back”, but my boss’s boss insisted I pick up the call.
“You would pick up a client call, and your husband is more important than your client,” he said.
From that day on, I gave my husband ‘client status’ and always picked up his phone calls.
What circles do you want to be traveling in?
This is another way to think about the people you want to be spending time with and the ideas you want to expose yourself to.
If your career aspirations include becoming a chief executive one day, you may want to broaden your network of relationships to include places where you can rub shoulders with senior thought leaders.
If you’re interested in becoming more creative, then it could mean expanding your connections in the arts arena.
When you know which circles you want to be traveling in, you’ll have an easier time deciding what events to attend and how to invest in your network.
How do you want to be creating value in the world?
Most of us want to do something meaningful, to contribute to the world in some way.
It could be through your work, the personal projects you take on, or some combination. What does that look like for you?
During my investment banking career, the way I created value had little to do with finance or capital markets or any of the technical skills I was using.
In fact, I often felt like a fish out of water — like I didn’t really belong.
It was only through conversations I had with my husband that I realised I was creating value by bringing positivity to all my interactions, whether with clients or colleagues.
This in turn brought out the best in the people around me and enabled them to create value.
With few female Chinese bankers, I was also creating value simply by being there and showing it was possible.
These days, I like to create value by sharing what I’ve learned and helping others reach their potential.
For you, it might be to create something of beauty through your hobby as a painter or musician.
Or you may contribute your genius as a problem solver to help your organisation leapfrog the competition.
Whatever it is, make sure it’s enjoyable for you and not pressure filled.
As my mother said to me early on in my career: “Do not be pressured by your own potential.”
Which of these questions will most help you create your vision for yourself in the New Year?
How do you envision your life to be in a year’s time?
*May Busch works with smart entrepreneurs and top managements to build their businesses. She can be contacted at [email protected].
This article first appeared at maybusch.com.
