Self-Assess for Self-Success: Bridge the Gap to be Who You Want to Be!

In my last post I offered some powerful questions to our blog readers to help them turn rejection into rumination and career success. Self-assessment and reflection are powerful skills to develop to become a more successful and capable professional. This week’s activity will help you pinpoint where you are now, where you want to be, and how to get there. Get out your piece of notebook paper or open a blank MS Word document and prepare to assess, dream, and plan by answering the following questions:

What kind of professional do I want to be?: Throw away the inhibitions and the “yeah, buts”! This question is designed for you to get in touch with your biggest dreams and aspirations. Be specific: what career field are you working in? What are you wearing to work? Who are you working with? What kinds of issues are you tackling on a daily basis? What does your work environment look like? How are you showing pride in what you are doing? Be descriptive and dream BIG!

Who am I as a professional now?: Describe who you are right now. Again, be as descriptive as possible about your current state of employment (or unemployment). What do you do? What are your daily tasks? Who do you work with? What occupies your mind most of the day? How are you living your values? You get the idea: do a healthy assessment of your present situation.

What is the gap between the two?: So you have who you want to be and who you are right now…but what do you do with this information? Time to identify those gaps: what keeps you from being that professional you want to be? Is it education? Or experience? Perhaps you need to start networking with those who are in the position that you want? Spend some time assessing that gap; enroll a friend or a trusted colleague if needed for some objective feedback to help you.

What is something you can do right now to tackle that gap?: It’s action time. You should now have a list identifying things you can do to bridge your gap. Pick one distinct action you can take to make that gap smaller. It could be something along the lines of taking a class, conducting some research, meeting with someone, or reading a book. The point is to set your goal and create a deadline around it to ensure its completion.

Let reflection and acting with intention guide you to a more prosperous career!