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How has 2019 been for you so far? Have you been working towards achieving your goals?  As a practice, I like to talk about achieving your goals when all the other articles and conversations are over. It is already March, and some of us may be starting to doubt that we can achieve the goals we set for this year. Let's start with the good news - we still have nine months to make things happen.
In this blog post, we will reflect on where we are with the help of some questions, plan steps to achieve our goals this year and I'll wrap up with a summarized reflection on my journey so far. Status Quo – Reflecting on where you are now. Let's start with a quick review of the progress you have made so far with the help of some reflective questions. #1: Do you have a plan for this year? "Stop setting goals. Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them." Stephen Covey This quote sums it up perfectly. With a plan of action, you know the necessary steps to take to achieve your goals. Understanding the steps, you plan to take is crucial. #2: Did you take action? "Achieving our goals takes more than good intentions. You have to take action and then systematically measure your progress." - Michael Hyatt Having a plan is a great start. Taking a step and making progress on the planned activities is what gets you results. #3: Were your goals too "crazy"? There is a thin line between setting aspirational goals and crazy goals that you can't achieve no matter how hard you work. Setting aspirational goals is important to get you out of your comfort zone. #4: Did you set goals you really care about? In talking to women around me, I noticed a trend of setting goals because other people are working on them. The pressure to set similar goals is real. Reflect on your goals and get clarity on why you chose to work on them. #5: Did you surround yourself with people who were working towards their goals? Being around people who are focused on and achieving their goals increases your success rate. Look around you and evaluate if you have some great "achievers" in your support network. #6: Did you equip yourself with the necessary tools? Especially if you are working on new goals, it is important to find tools that will help you achieve your goals. Some examples of tools include trainings, books, webinars and any additional resources that provide you with knowledge. #7: Are you setting goals in all important aspects of your life? To achieve balance, it is crucial to set goals in all parts of your personal and professional life. Setting goals in the following areas have made me more successful - self-care, finances, career, personal growth as well as my business. Action Plan for the next months – What can you do differently to achieve your goals? We have nine more months to make this year really count. Explore five simple tips you can apply. Tip 1: Write down your goals Being able to read your goals often is essential to achieving your goals. Writing your goals down makes them real. If you don't write your goals down, please start now. Tip 2: Create a plan Documenting the concrete steps you plan to take to achieve your goals, helps bring clarity into what it would take to meet them. Having a plan provides you with a way to measure and track your progress. Tip 3: Start a routine To achieve your big goals, you need to be committed and consistent. In my experience when I dedicate time to work on my goals, things get done. Make it a habit to invest time and resources in things that matter to you. Tip 4: Share your goals Talking about your goals with your trusted friends is a great thing to do. Having accountability partners is a proven way to stay on track while you work to achieve your goals. Tip 5: Track and celebrate your wins Make it a priority to celebrate your small and significant accomplishments along the way. Especially if you are working on a big goal, it helps to appreciate the progress that you are making. MC's story I want to take time to review the first three months of my year. Personal Growth A strong focus for me this year is taking bold steps. The journey so far has been gratifying. Being brave is not easy, but it has provided me with opportunities that I would not have had if I did not take a leap. An area where I want to do better over the next months is to prioritize self-care more. With all that I plan to achieve this year, I need to be fully healthy. Professional Development Finding my place in a new large company has been my focus for the first three months of the year. There have been a lot of learnings gathered from experiences and conversation over the last months. Not all my experiences have been positive, but they have all taught me a valuable lesson. I want to learn more about navigating my new company and achieving my career growth goals. Financial Independence Growing my finances is an area that I continue to take very seriously. I have been meeting my savings and investment goals. Over the next months, I am planning to make a substantial financial investment that will teach me other skills about money. For someone like me that enjoys having a safety net, this is going to be a learning experience. My Business 2019 has been a good year so far for me business-wise. I have been focusing on building on the foundation that I built last year and also expanding in new areas. Some of the ventures I developed this year includes getting more life coaching clients, starting my YouTube channel and growing our Mastermind groups. My focus for 2019 is to grow my income streams more and have a profitable business. This is definitely a bold goal that I'm working towards. Final Thoughts
Call to action What goals are you planning to work on over the next three months? Identify your short-term goals. What are you planning to do differently to be more successful? Increase your success rates by making a small change Great Resources
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 How often do you make time to reflect on your career?
Navigating our careers and being successful requires action on our part. Reflecting is an easy way for you to gather some insights on what you want to start, continue or stop doing to get to the next career level. In this post we will reflect on your career so far, start planning for the future and discover a tool to help you build the career you want. This is one of the posts where you would have to take notes to get the most value. Why is it important to reflect on your career? The benefits of making time for reflection include:
Reflection Questions What aspects of your career have you found most rewarding and why? Think about your fondest work memories. Reflect on what made those experiences so special and great. Reflect on the work assignments that brought you joy. What keeps you excited about your field of work? Reminding yourself of the reason you decided to take the career path you are on, is something you should do more often. It is easy to forget the passion you once had. What are your career-related fears? Reflecting on what has been holding you back from making those bold career moves is very important. Especially if you would like to see different results and achieve your career goals, knowing your fears allows you to address them. How do you prioritize your career growth/development? The concept of owning your career development is one that I talk about frequently. Making a conscious effort and investing in your career development should be a priority for you. Discover more practical tips in my previous blog post "Own your career development". Who influenced you in your career? Surrounding yourself with great peers, mentors and sponsors is essential to build a great career. Think back on the people that have played a small or large role in your career. What's the best career advice you ever received and how has it changed your career outlook? Think back on some of the great things you heard along the way that helped in your career. It could come from people, books, trainings or other sources. Write it down and share with others. What are your greatest professional goals or objectives? Knowing what you want to achieve in your career will play a huge role in your satisfaction and help you plan for the career future you want. Having a career plan will help you on your journey. Tools in your Toolkit - Create your Career Journal To make it easier to reflect on your career moving forward, start writing things down as you go. A few years ago I started writing things down mainly in preparation for conversations with my managers to ensure I did not miss any important details about my work. Recently, I made a slight change and started my weekly career journal. It may sound like as big task, but it is not. I dedicate about an hour every Thursday evening or Friday morning to document what I worked on, my highlights and lowlights from the week. This consistent practice helps me reflect on the week, celebrate my achievements, identify things I want to change and plan for the next week. MC's Story I recently transitioned to a new job. At the start of my job search, it was important to me that I had better experiences than in my previous job. At this stage I had a mixed portfolio of achievements and failures. I had learned lessons on what I wanted to do more of and what I did not want to do. Reflecting on my career provided clarity in the following ways:
Call to Action What are the three biggest lessons you have learned in your career so far? Learn from your past experiences. What are you working towards this year? Identify your career goals and plan action. Final Thoughts
Great Resources
"Insecurity is just something that's there all the time. I've never been crippled by it." Catherine Keener  Do you feel insecure or you're not good enough?
As women we have a lot we are insecure about such as our body image, knowledge, identity, experiences or our relationships. In order for our insecurity not to get in the way of our progress we need to take active steps to deal with it. In this blog post, we will explore the definition of being insecure, how it affects our lives, the importance of dealing with our insecurities as well as practical strategies you can apply the next time you feel insecure. I will also share a little about my journey with insecurity. What does it mean to be insecure?
Why is it important to face our insecurities ?
How does being insecure affect you?
What should you work towards? The positive feelings are: secure, confident, assured, certain, decisive, stable, unafraid or untroubled. 5 Strategies to deal with your insecurity #1: Accept your insecurities Feeling insecure in any aspect of your life is normal. Being aware of your insecurities provides you with the opportunity to address them heads on. Spend time getting to know yourself more and equip yourself with the tool you need. #2: Celebrate your achievements Think back on those times when you overcame your insecurities and took a bold step. Celebrate them and acknowledge how hard you worked to make it happen. And then when you start doubting yourself or feeling insecure, take a look at what you've achieved. #3: Commit to a plan Setting a deadline and committing to a plan is a great way to hold yourself accountable to overcome your insecurities. The act of committing to do something puts you in a mindset of taking action. #4:Do something you are afraid of Take a step and do something you don't feel fully prepared for. The best strategy to face your insecurity is to take action. Sometimes it takes a while for you to start feeling confident. Continue taking steps towards achieving your goals. #5: Share your story Often, when we share our insecurities with others and listen to theirs as well, we feel empowered. Knowing that you are not alone with some of the challenges you face makes it feel better. Empower others and be empowered by others. MC's Story I also have my own share of insecurities. Recently I had to practice what I preach and face my insecurities. For about a year, I had been thinking about creating other avenues to share content and expand my community. Creating a YouTube channel was the next logical move, but I was too afraid to do it. I had never recorded or edited videos ever before. I was also very insecure about how I would look and sound on camera. There were many insecurities that I had to overcome before I took the first step. The strategy that helped me was "Commit to a plan". Once I set a date to launch in March 2019, I had a date to work towards. For me keeping my commitment was more important than all the insecurities that held me back. I did it !!! I launched my YouTube Channel this month. Call To Action What areas are you insecure? What strategies are you planning to apply? Identify your insecurities. Final Thoughts
Great Resources
Celebrating you and all the great women around you! To the mothers and caretakers
Thanks for investing in the next generation. Your selfless sacrifices will bear great fruit. To the career women You are thriving in a man's world - Go girl! To boss ladies Taking a plunge and start your own business or side hustle is huge. Your boldness and tenacity are impressive. To those who have gone through divorce and heartbreak Your strength and ability to continue your life after unexpected turns is exceptionally encouraging. When you feel lonely on your journey, reach out to your ladies and family who have your back. To those striving to do good and give back Keep making the world a better place. To the women who have dreams Take the first step. As this quote by Walk Disney says to well " All our dreams can come true if we dare to pursue them." Walt Disney  Continuing my relocation story with year 2 and 3 in the US. The theme of this phase was "shaking my foundation and new beginnings." A few weeks ago I completed my fourth year in the US. Looking back I'm amazed at how quickly time has gone by. While my focus in the first three years was getting settled, situated in my new home and growing my career, in year four I made a significant professional change.
In this post, I will share my experiences, learnings, and insights in my fourth year of living in the US. If you missed the first three years of my journey, read My Life in the US - Year 1 and My life in the US - Year 2 and 3 posts. Going back home to Nigeria Earlier last year, I traveled back to Nigeria. After living in Germany and now in the US, my life has changed a lot since I moved from Nigeria in 2001. In my three weeks there, I enjoyed great Nigerian food and reconnected with family I had not seen in years. Read more about my experience in my blog post. My trip to Nigeria after 12 years. Going back home to Germany In addition to going back to Nigeria, I also attended a family event in Germany. Spending a week in Saarbrucken a city I spent my first years in Germany brought back many memories. I had not spent this much time in Saarbrucken since I moved away in 2007. Showing my family my favorite pasta, kebab and breakfast spot was amazing. I was shocked at how much I remembered about a city I spent six formative years in. Politics impacting my real life When I started my journey in Germany as a student, dealing with visa applications was a very regular part of my life. Moreover, here I was again after 17 years of living in different countries; I had to make some changes. Being a legal immigrant working in the US, I was made aware of how policies that the government makes affects me. I've been blessed not to have any huge issues. Growing my business One of the things I have valued the most about living in the bay area is the idea of "you can do anything." This mindset helped me take a bold step and start my blog and business. There is something electrifying about being surrounded by other entrepreneurs who share their experiences and knowledge. Living in Germany, I am not sure I would have been bold enough to make such a big move. Exploring my new home Even after three great years, there were still somethings I had not yet experienced. I had the opportunity to travel more and enjoy California more. This is really one of the greatest places I have lived from the perspective of nature. In addition to traveling a little more, I also explored the sports culture by going to see my first basketball game. Growing my network and community Thinking back on last year, I was able to build my local network both professionally and for my business. I attended a lot of events and trainings that helped me expand my network. Meeting great women and business owners broadened my perspective. As I think back on one of the most exceptional experiences I have had so far in the US, it would have to be building a network of people who encourage you to do the big things you dream about. Interviewing process As someone who has interviewed for Jobs in Germany and now in the US, I can definitely say there is a huge difference. I interviewed at four great companies on my quest to find a new job. Going through the preparation process and interviewing helped me be more confident about my skills and professional experiences. I had the opportunity to introduce myself professionally to about sixteen people. Interviewing in the US has a huge component of self-marketing which I had to learn to succeed. Starting a new job Professionally, I made a significant change last year. After being with the same company in Germany for eight years in total and in my first three years in the US, the time came for me to join a new company. I have learned a lot through the process of starting a new job in the US. As with every new thing we start, there have been a mix of good and bad experiences as well as many learnings. Top 10 Lessons learned Over the four years of my relocation journey to the US, I have learned so many valuable lessons, that I would like to share with you.
Final Thoughts
Call to Action What is the biggest lesson you have learned living in a new country? Reflect on your experiences, document your lessons learned and share them |
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