Access. Reevaluate. Revive. Mindful ways of Goal setting

In today's fast-paced world, getting caught up in the rat race and forgetting to slow down and reassess our goals can be easy. We may need to move forward and achieve new things constantly, but this can lead to burnout and a loss of meaning in our work.

This pressure to move quickly is even more apparent in the IT industry. New technologies and trends are constantly emerging, and it can be challenging to keep up. This can lead to constant anxiety and stress as we worry about being left behind.

But it's important to remember that speed is often important, but only sometimes. Other times, it's better to slow down and take a step back to assess our goals and ensure we're on the right track. This may mean taking some time off, talking to a mentor, or simply taking a break from work to clear our heads. In my case, I took an assignment where I may be overqualified. My objective was to assess if I would like to continue doing technical work within my comfort zone or if I would like to learn about management going further. This also means I will have more time to invest in learning and establishing new targets.

We can see things more clearly when we slow down and reassess our goals. We can identify what's important to us and what we're passionate about. We can also start to make more intentional choices about our careers. This doesn't mean that we have to give up on our dreams. It means that we must be realistic about what we can achieve and ensure we're taking care of ourselves along the way.

Here are a few things I did to slow down and reassess my goals:

• Take some time off. This could mean taking a vacation, a sabbatical, or even just a few days away from work. I went on straight 6 weeks vacation. It has helped me finalize a few action items and act on them ASAP in decision-making.

• Talk to a mentor. A mentor can help you reflect on your goals and ensure you're on the right track. Here I also got help from a counselor. They help me identify my core competencies and more concretely shape my resume.

• Set aside some time each week for self-reflection. This could mean journaling, meditating, or simply thinking about your goals and what's important to you. The exercise of self-reflection has helped me create an ordered list of job functions that I would like to aim for as of today. It means I know my priorities when differentiating between an opportunity and a miss-opportunity.

• Be honest with yourself about what you want. What are your true passions? What are you good at? What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals? You have your best shot at life when you know you own your mistakes and are ready to accept your failures by learning from them.

• Make changes to your goals. Feel free to change your plans or career path if you need to be on the right track. It's always possible to start over. Often you only need a course correction.

Slowing down and reassessing your goals is an essential part of career success. It allows you to make more intentional choices and avoid burnout. If you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed, take some time to slow down and reflect on your goals. You may be surprised at what you discover.

Are You Running Towards Your Goal Or Someone Else's?

When reassessing your goals, one of the most important things to consider is whether you're running toward your own dream or someone else's. It's easy to get caught up in the rat race and to start chasing after the goals that society tells us we should have. But we can spend our lives working toward someone else's fantasy if we're not careful.

It's a trap that many people fall into in the IT industry. We're constantly told that we need to be the best and that we need to achieve more. But if we're not careful, we can lose sight of what's important to us.

So how do you know if you're running towards your goal or someone else's? Here are a few questions I would ask myself, and you should too:

• What are my true passions? What do I want to achieve in my career?

• What am I good at? What are my core competencies?

• What is the one change I should make to improve my situation?

• What am I willing to sacrifice to achieve my goals?

• Am I happy with the way I'm spending my time?

• Do I feel like I'm making a difference in the world?

If you can answer these questions honestly, you'll better understand whether you're running toward your goal or someone else's. If you need more time, it's time to slow down and reassess your goals. It took me a few hours that span across 3 weeks. But at the end of 3rd week, I have my answers and a clearer mind.

Remember, there is always time to start over, although you may only need a partial restart sometimes. You can always change your goals or career path if you're unhappy with how things are going. The most important thing is to ensure you're running towards a plan you're passionate about.

I wish you all the best.

Signing off for today, and I hope to meet my readers in the next article with a topic close to my heart.

If you like this article, I would love to hear if you have encountered such a time in your career and how you have managed.