In a few weeks, you might start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Whether you already have some specific personal or professional goals in mind, it helps to set aside time for reflection. How have you improved and evolved over the past 10 years? And what do you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?

Whether you have learned new skills or taken on new hobbies, you’re probably not exactly the same as you were a decade ago. According to executive coach Lolly Daskal, there’s also a good chance you’ll be a different person in the future.

So, as we enter the final month of 2020, take some time to consider who you are now and who you want to be in the years ahead. Getting older happens, but growth must be intentional. If you want to learn how to be purposeful in your personal growth, keep reading. We share Daskal’s top tips in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Don’t let labels define you. When someone assigns a label to you, it can be hard to shake off. Maybe you were once told you were too noisy, bossy or messy, and the label stuck with you. Sometimes, we may even assign a label to ourselves. Even if that label isn’t necessarily a negative one, it doesn’t leave you much room to grow if you decide that’s all you are. Daskal says that who you were may be a part of who you are and who you are becoming, but it’s not your whole story. However you may label yourself, make a point to move beyond those labels if you want to grow.

Contemplate who you want to be. Rather than contemplating who you think you will become, Daskal recommends asking yourself who you want to become. Many choices you make now will impact who you are in the future. For example, if you want to lose weight (a common goal in the New Year), you can make intentional choices about what you eat and how you exercise. We are all in a constant state of becoming, says Daskal, so be sure to shape your behavior not around your past but around your desired future self.

Assess how you are growing. Unless you pause and consider your progress, you won’t know if you are on the right track. Daskal advises regularly measuring your development by examining the gaps between who you are and who you want to become. Once you better understand this gap, you can begin to make detailed comparisons and zero in on the areas you want to focus on next.

Establish your desired outcomes. Everyone is driven by different motivators. Daskal says that while some people are motivated by faith and hope, others are driven by obligation, ambition or simply the desire for something new. Think about who you want to be in the future and then lean into the motivators that will help you reach that result. When your future is clear, your behavior will reflect that clarity, adds Daskal.

Before the New Year begins, think about how you can be intentional with your personal growth. Let go of past labels, clearly envision what your future self looks like and check in on your progress regularly. You can take charge of your growth when you approach it with purpose.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Lolly Daskal is the founder of Lead From Within, a leadership firm that provides custom programs in leadership and organizational development. Daskal is also an author and consultant and is recognized as one of the top executive coaches in the world