Personal and Professional Growth in 2022

At the start of the year most people start to look at New Year Resolutions. Thoughts turn to what good practices can I continue to improve on? What undesirable behaviour can I stop or change? What personal goal can I achieve? All these questions can be based on all areas of life, anything from personal, professional to family or health. We all start to think, how we can make this year a positive fulfilled year.

Why is Personal and Professional Development important?

Personal and professional development are inherently linked. If you are feeling unfulfilled in your career it will have an affect on your personal relationships. Likewise, if you are struggling in your personal life, it is likely that this will spill over into your working environment. Finding that balance is important to achieve the best mental health. Stress, tension anxiety can all lead to demotivation and being less productive.

How to achieve your goals

1. Work on focusing on your mindset. Looking at challenges as opportunities. Talking, networking, attending training courses are all areas that you can embark on to help achieve your personal and professional goals.
2. Use SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. When creating your personal and or professional plan, ensure they are focused. The goals must be achievable. You must see a clear path how to take steps to reach your goal, steer away from broad statements that doesn’t give you the ability to achieve.
3. Tell Someone you Goals. Sharing your goals, allows for you to talk through your goals and get some guidance. Speaking out loud
4. Don’t just see the end goal, but focus on your next step, one step at a time.

However, there is another school of thought, rather than wait for the New Year and put a stop to the traditional new year resolutions, but instead make changes whenever needed throughout the year. Is this a better way to think? It is probably a good idea to combine the two schools of thought setting a long-term goal and making those smaller goals, one step at the time.

With the combination of slowly building a sustainable routine and concisely defining achievable goals and ambitions, before you know it, you will notice that you as a person are developing and growing in a way that makes you feel happy and fulfilled.

Advice for graduates, juniors and trainees looking for their first job