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I’ve learned as a professional career coach that a lot of people don’t consider their career plans as often as they should. Why not take a few minutes to gain some perspective and look back on the past year on what you’ve accomplished and learned? Provided that you look at the big picture, conducting an annual personal career review is a wonderful career coaching exercise. Your annual career check-up should include the creation of a plan for next year and it should also touch on issues close to you and how you really want to live your life.

Eight questions to ask yourself during your personal annual career review:

1. How have I been with my job? Happy?

2. How happy have I been with my personal life?

3. How happy have I been with what I do for myself?

4. Did I do something that expresses my most strongly held values regularly?

5. What is one thing I would change about my job if I could?

6. What do I wish was there that I left out of my life?

7. I admire a person whose life is?

8. What should your game plan for the next year of your career look like?

A goal has a good positive end. It should not be something you hate or think you should do. It should be something you want. “I am going to exercise more” sounds nice, but it is one of those goals that will undoubtedly end up on the back shelf. Set goals like “I will walk three times a week for 30 minutes. I am going to find some kind of exercise I enjoy” instead.

You should find a good strategy. Move toward something enjoyable, fulfilling, productive, and rewarding. What in your life do you find especially fulfilling? What that you do makes you lose all sense of time? In your life, increase what you have found meaningful for a significant positive benefit for you, and for the people around you.

A good strategy should move you away from people and things you find unfulfilling, meaningless, unproductive, or unrewarding. Who do you hate talking on the phone with and what do you not enjoy doing? What feels like a waste of time in your day? If you give yourself a sense of internal control over what happens to you in your life, you will learn to decrease what you find unrewarding.

While change is difficult, you *can* make your goals a reality and lead the life you desire. Remember to take baby steps toward your goals, and don’t hesitate to contact a professional career coach for guidance and support. Hiring a career coach is a smart investment - we can help you decide what is most important and work with you to achieve your goals.