Yesterday, the blog focused on a career bucket list.

Our lists were likely full of all kinds of dreams.

Creating an innovative approach to your work.

Taking on a special project.

Speaking at a prominent event.

Achieving a promotion.

Better work life integration.

Protecting the environment.

Getting a dream job.

Writing a book.

The list of possibilities is endless.

Setting the goal is the easy part.  Figuring out how to achieve it is where things get tricky.

My Perspective

I believe the heart of any change is self-awareness.  Having a deep understanding of how we approach the world will guide us in the direction of making the change happen.  Here are three primary self-awareness categories that I believe help us achieve our goals:

Time – Goals like writing a book and taking on a special project will require finding time to make them happen.  Without an understanding of where you currently spend time, you will struggle to find the time necessary.  Techniques like a current time audit and mapping energy highs and lows can set you on the course to finding the space you need for a new endeavor.

Strengths – Goals like a promotion and getting the dream job could be supported by an understanding of your strengths and what you bring to the organization.  That understanding makes resumes clearer and can assist in finding succinct ways to describe your value.  The CliftonStrengths assessment is one tool that can assist you here.

Motivation and Creativity – Goals like speaking at a prominent event and developing an innovative approach to your work may take both motivation and creativity.  Knowing the type of accountability you need to stay motivated and how you approach creativity can put your twist on achieving these goals.  Assessments like The Four Tendencies and the Motivation Code could be appropriate here.

The rest of this week, the blog posts will cover the three topics above with some tips and ideas to start you on the path to achieving your career bucket list aspirations.

Your Turn

What is the first item on your career bucket list you want to check off?

Which self-assessment areas could provide insight to set you on the road to success?