December is a month of celebration, but it’s also a month for reflection. Take a moment to think back on your professional accomplishments over the year. We know, the year went by in a blur and it may feel like you didn’t accomplish anything, but dig deeper. Whether you exceeded your quota, delivered a key project or, for those between jobs, connected with a number of possible employers, you do have accomplishments and there are a number of great reasons to remind yourself of that.
It Keeps You Motivated
You’ve accomplished a lot this year, and taking stock of your specific achievements will help you stay hungry and motivated for the next 12 months. You may have been given challenging projects that took you out of your comfort zone, and while there were some bumps along the way, you need to celebrate the fact that you persevered and came out a stronger professional. By identifying what you’ve accomplished, you can look at the next set of challenges with the knowledge that you’ll conquer them and come out more focused and experienced in the end!
Zero-In On Your Strengths for Interviews or Annual Reviews
Whether your January will include job interviews or annual reviews, reflecting on your recent accomplishments will help you excel in these interactions. Managers want to hear specific instances of when you excelled, so being able to answer a question with a specific example carries a lot of weight. Your accomplishments will help you make a case for hiring or promotion.
It Reminds You that You Are Continuously Improving
Nobody is ever going to have a “perfect” year; but you can strive to always grow and improve. Progress can be hard to gauge while it is happening, and you may not realize just how far you’ve come until you take a moment to look back at where you started. When you feel stagnant, it’s important to focus on where you have improved. It’s amazing what a change in focus will do to your psyche moving into the next year.
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