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Many of us struggle with the start of the new year. We reflect on the past year and set resolutions for the year ahead. Usually, we associate both with the feeling of not measuring up.
One way to break this cycle is to move from extrinsic to intrinsic goals.
You’ll likely spend at least 2,000 hours on your job this year. It’s tempting to link this effort to extrinsic motivations: better titles, higher pay, industry awards, and so on. However, doing so can leave us deprived of free will and purpose. First, it yokes us to the perception and action of others. Secondly, it can cause structural misalignment. The satisfaction of a promotion, for example, is surprisingly fleeting, especially if we chase prestige rather than deeper commitment.
Intrinsic goals, on the other hand, reflect our identity, not our ambitions. Instead of outward signals of status, they point us toward internal growth. Intrinsic goals are entirely within our control, and achieving them brings lasting rewards.
In the workplace, an extrinsic goal might be “Increase my income by 20% this year.” An intrinsic goal might be “Show more gratitude to my colleagues.”
In that spirit, I want to offer ten intrinsic resolutions that will help you thrive in 2024. These reflect timeless insights that my mentors have shared with me, as well as hard lessons I’ve learned throughout my career.
Related: 5 Simple Resolutions That Will Make You Smarter, Happier, and More Confident
Resolution 1: Don’t stay in the same role for more than a year
This yes Not it means fighting for a promotion or jumping ship for a new company. Instead, embrace a constant learning mindset so that the role you fill always presents new challenges and opportunities.
Ask yourself:
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What new skills have you learned in the past year?
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Have you expanded your scope of influence?
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Have you expanded your portfolio?
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Do you stay in the comfort zone of your strengths or attack your weaknesses?
If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Start small, but start. You will be amazed at the opportunities that come from this growth mindset.
Resolution 2: If you don’t feel the company’s mission deeply, something is wrong
When looking for a job, many of us prioritize three Ps: pay, prestige and product. This is a trap. Two different Ps are what matter: purpose and people. The benefits of pay and prestige are fleeting. Products evolve. The quality of our relationships with colleagues and the rationale for which we spend our time and energy, on the other hand, are fundamental to our job and life satisfaction.
Ask yourself:
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Do you wake up every morning excited about your company’s mission and purpose? (Of course I do!)
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Do the people in your company inspire you to be a better person and professional?
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Do you have a burning desire to hone the skills your company is teaching you?
Resolution 3: How many mentors do you have at your current company?
If you haven’t explicitly asked a colleague to fill this role, the answer is likely to be zero.
Mentoring is not a one-off pep talk or an ad hoc introduction to an influential figure. It’s an ongoing commitment to personal and professional growth, which means it’s more than just an ego stroking. If your mentor did not hold you accountable or offer you constructive feedback, you may need to reconsider the relationship.
The best time to find an internal mentor is before you even start. Yes, it’s a big ask, but it’s also a big investment. Do not be shy. Share your ambitions and ask for help.
Resolution 4: Every organization has a core. To maximize your growth, get as close to the core as possible.
Ask yourself:
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How does your current job role connect to your employer core?
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How can you reskill or upskill yourself to get even closer to the core?
Resolution 5: Don’t undermine your value with cover language
This resolution is for everyone but is especially important for professional women.
Examples: “I’m new here, so…”, “Being the least technical person in the room…”, “I think…”, “I just…”, “I could be wrong, but…”
Yes, nuance and precision matter, as do relevant qualifiers. But more often than not, people will remember your warning, not your point.
Likewise, resist the temptation to explain to your audience who you are as a person. “I’m still new here, so I still have a lot to learn…” or “I haven’t spent much time with team X or Y, so I could be wrong, but…” and so on. Allow colleagues to see you based on your actions, not your words that tell them how to think of you.
Don’t be put off or intimidated by people who like to hear themselves talk or act like the smartest person in the room. Volume and frequency are poor predictors of business wisdom. So, speak up when it counts and do so with conviction.
Related: 3 Steps to Get Your Personal and Professional Life Back on Track
Resolution 6: Don’t settle for the job you’re already fully qualified for
Choose the most important role. Push yourself out there, even if it makes you slightly uncomfortable. Actually, do it Why it makes you uncomfortable. This is how we grow.
Resolution 7: Ask the best questions, not the best answers
In a world that rewards witty discussions, what we want at work are honest questions.
Think about the last time a colleague or manager took the time to ask you thoughtful questions. How did it make you feel? And how did you feel about them and the company? Aspire to be the teammate or team leader who brings relentless curiosity to the task.
Resolution 8: Kick ass without being a jerk
Hopefully this doesn’t need much explanation. At all the companies I’ve helped run, we’ve had a “no assholes” hiring policy, and it’s served us well. I seek ambitious, goal-oriented candidates who are not afraid to tackle difficult problems and who do so with respect, which includes enjoying the opportunity to share credit and celebrate teammates’ successes when relevant.
Resolution 9: Grab the microphone
Look for ways to be an ambassador for your brand. This does not require a keynote presentation at a prestigious conference. Volunteer to integrate your next group of interns. Give talks at your local high school or community college. Host an employee resource group. Become an active mentor for your network on LinkedIn.
Resolution 10: Lead with love
Hopefully this is the focus of your professional development and ambition: so you can scale love.
Let’s face it. The jobs are hard. Stressful. Even scary at times. But they also represent a profound opportunity to bring out the best in ourselves and, above all, the best in others.
As David Brooks noted, people won’t look at your resume at your funeral. They will discuss your virtues. Your impact on others. Your service to the world.
Your work is a powerful tool for expressing your character. What impression are you making?
Related: 5 Powerful Ways to Become Your Best Self
I would like to close with a personal note of gratitude to my most important mentor: my mother.
I saw it in action daily, building a business from scratch with my father into a thriving architecture firm that still exists today. As one of the few women who graduated from MIT’s Architecture program in the 1950s, she was the “RBG” of the architecture world. Her ability to be a shrewd, strategically minded businesswoman despite all the odds stacked against her as a one-eyed woman (she lost her eye in a childhood accident) in a man’s world was impressive enough .
More importantly, she had love coursing through her veins with everything she touched.
When she died, she left a legacy of dozens of buildings she and my father designed and hundreds of students she taught in a local architecture program who showed up forcefully at her funeral to mark their love for her. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her.