By now the dust is settling on some of the major changes 2020 brought, and you are looking at how to plot your way forward. No matter how hard you’ve had to pivot, one thing is for sure: It’s time to take your goals seriously in 2021 and not leave things up to chance. 

Keeping yourself sharp, your connections strong and your eyes on the prize are all ways to reduce the risk of finding yourself irrelevant or out of luck in the future. 

But these are more than mere platitudes, so as you think about the following tips, commit to yourself with specific details about the action steps: How will you do each, and when? Here’s what we recommend:

Keep a Journal

Putting your thoughts to paper is a tried-and-true method of clarifying and organizing them, key to self-improvement and making your dreams a reality.

Connect with Others

Don’t just network when you need something -- send an article or touch base with your peers and people, building relationships. Rekindle old connections, too.

Check in Regularly with your Boss or Mentor

Stay in conversation about how you’re doing and what you’re doing.

Improve your Personal Brand

When your name comes up in a meeting, what’s the first thing people think of regarding you? Here’s something not everyone knows: If you want to be noticed for your good work and accomplishments, be intentional in how you talk about them.

Expand and Enhance your Knowledge

There is always something to learn, and you can find a ton of online resources and courses. Make yourself more effective in your current position, or qualified for the next.

Evaluate your Efficiency

Think big-picture -- don’t spend undue time and effort making amazing progress on projects and paths that won’t get you where you want to go.

No matter what 2020 threw at you, you can congratulate yourself for having made it through this far, and adopt the attitude of “onward and upward” as you face the year ahead. With these professional resolutions in place, you’ll be well on your way there.