How To Intentionally Plan Your Career

Throughout our careers we have a tug-of-war with the reality of our lives.  “Am I being paid as much as my peers?  Is this work interesting enough for me?  Can I work these crazy hours and still care for my family?  Am I being recognized or sought out for my expertise?” The reality is that you are an evolving, growing human being whose needs and abilities will continually change over time.  Nothing stays the same forever, not you, not the demands of life outside of work and not your employer (or the labor market landscape in general).
 
It is up to each of us to build a healthy relationship with our careers; to stay attune to what we need, what is changing, and to be open to the unfolding relationship between who you are today, your personal life and your working life.  For some this means meticulous planning, for others it may be “going with the flow”…most of us fall somewhere in between. Know this, people who are intentional about this intersection between life and career often experience less strife and anxiety and are more able to relax into their work with balance and wellbeing. 
 
Looking for some of that?  Here are 6 key items to consider before sitting down and planning for your career:

• You will not always work in the same field or with the same employer…roles become obsolete, professions update into newer versions, employers come and go.  In this circumstance, know there will always be another opportunity when you are open to change.
  
• Change, professional development and the evolution of skills is awkward, uncomfortable and (sometimes) incredibly scary.  Investing in yourself, your abilities and knowledge will always prepare you for new possibilities and help you to remain flexible so you see opportunities on the other side of professional disappointments or job loss.
• You hear people say “do what you love” for a living.  Don’t.  Reserve doing what you love for your hobbies.  Instead find work that has meaning and purpose because if you have those present for you consistently in your work, you will love going into work each day.
• A career plan is a compass not a “rulebook”, having one means you can deviate from it with wisdom and discernment.  Trying to “complete the checklist” and see your plan through with rigidity means you have abdicated thinking for doing and that leads to heartache and disappointment.  Have a plan, create a career blueprint, but keep it as a living document where you will make well thought out and considered changes that meet your needs today and in the future.
• Life is unpredictable, and often unfair.  Remember, there is nothing we control in this life except our responses to what happens to us.  Having to adjust to the unforeseen can make us stronger, but it can also build resentment and fear that we carry with us into our careers, which impacts our ability to engage and fully commit to using our strengths, talents and abilities.  Resilience is a key ingredient in a career; be open to the unknown and use your curiosity to explore new and unexpected circumstances to see the opportunity hidden within.
• Gratitude is a source of energy and strength.  So is celebration.  Know your worth and celebrate it often (achievements big and small).  Know what is good and meaningful in your life, what supports you in going out and doing the work you do and plan for ways to keep it meaningfully present in your life.  Make sure those who provide this support know you appreciate it by telling them specifically how they help you (and whenever possible reciprocate their support).

 
Keeping these six points in mind while contemplating your career will support a healthy and realistic approach to career planning that allows you to be intentional in your approach, making strong decisions that create wellbeing throughout your entire working life.