The Outside-In way to go to work with a smile on your face

This might be a bit counter intuitive, but knowing what you want outside of work will help you decide what you want in work, and motivate you to take action. That way you end up with work you enjoy that supports the lifestyle you choose. 

So take a moment to dream. Imagine it's this time next year and your life is just as you want it. 

1. Are you living in the same place? 
2. Is your physical environment just as you want it, or have there been changes? 
3. What holidays have you had?
4. Have you got any new stuff, whether it’s a new carpet, a new kitchen, the latest gadget or something else? 
5. What hobbies and past times are you engaged it? 
6. Who have you been mixing with now and over the last year?
7. Who and how are you being? 

These are really powerful questions to ask yourself. If you don’t, things will carry on exactly as they are. Which is fine only if that's what you want to happen.

Only once you’ve taken time to answer those questions can you ask yourself, What needs to happen in my career to support that? 

• Do you need to develop new skills? 
• Do you need to create more income or more free time?
• Do you need to change the way you work?
• Do you need to make a job or career change?
• What else needs to change to facilitate that?

By having these conversations with yourself (or a Career Coach) you can start to create a plan and prepare for conversations such as performance appraisals so that you can make sure that those conversations are led by your career goals.

That way you’ll be going to work with a smile on your face