Start 2019 With Smart Action: Take the Free Career Management Assessment

Are you excited about what's possible for your professional life this year? Do you have a plan to grow? We are already into February and it is very normal to lose sight of those goals or ignore the power that a new 12-month cycle brings. I'm going to guess that as the New Year rolled over, you had one of three states:

(1) excitement about continued success and growth,

(2) resolution to figure out how to fix a bad or just so-so professional situation, or

(3) resignation/settling that you'll continue to coast or endure your professional situation.

My professional view working with thousands of clients over the years is that wherever you fall in these three states, there's progress and greater opportunity ahead for you.

In the end, by taking intentional action, your life changes with one or more of these outcomes: decreased risk/increased security, increased opportunity, greater control over your path and destiny, increased market power, greater professional satisfaction, more interesting work, higher quality colleagues, potentially greater self-actualization, a bigger role / responsibility, greater income and overall increases in well-being.

There are so many ways to grow and make progress that doesn't include a promotion or career move.

I challenge you to be intentional, confident and courageous in how you view your professional future. Here's are a few ideas on how you can make tangible (and potentially transformational) progress this year.

• Assess your current state and create a plan

• Proactively and strategically continue to build your capability in target areas

• Cultivate key relationships, build new ones and expand the community around you

• Build your reputation so that your manager isn't the only one who knows how great you are

• Get out of "neutral" and dare to think big about an exciting future!

• Get more clarity (and get excited) by your unique offering

• Tune-up (or repair) your brand

• Take stock of your performance in your current role

• Figure out whether where you are now is a great place for you, and if not develop a plan to get out of there and into something that fits you better

• Or create a proactive plan for the next chapter of your career, whether that involves a promotion, an interesting lateral move, a job search, career pivot or bigger career change, or perhaps a plan for semi-retirement.

Whether you're an executive, a manager or mid-career professional, an entrepreneur or self-employed professional, I see an exciting future for you.

For today, I have two questions for you:

Which of the three states best describe how you feel about your professional life and year ahead?

What are your ideas and priorities for your professional growth this year? Pull out your journal and commit to writing for 10 minutes. What comes to mind?

Here at The Bold Career Project, we had a great year and are excited about new ways to serve you in this year and beyond. So, here's a heads-up.

I, and the team are grateful for you and your continued trust and we look forward to supporting your success. I invite you to invest a few minutes in answering the nine questions as an important FIRST step in the transformation and acceleration of your career health and progress this year. Before I give you the link to access to the assessment, fair warning: Go into it with an open heart and do not despair if you score yourself low in one or more dimensions. This is a wake-up call (or a celebration). Either way, it is what you need if you want to take charge of your professional destiny. Ready? Here’s the link: Sign-up for the free career management assessment tool With respect and admiration for your courage, Ian