With 2023 having faded to black, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the year that’s been and envision the year ahead. Emmy and AACTA Award-winning producer turned screen sector executive coach Ellenor Cox offers a series of questions to guide this introspective journey.
We all have those moments in life where something so significant happens it etches itself into our mind. For me, one of these events took place in the most unassuming of places – the photocopying room (yes, they existed in the pre-internet era when paper reigned supreme!).
I had just arrived in Sydney to take up a highly competitive role as a graduate trainee manager at Qantas. It was akin to gaining entry to an exclusive members-only club, receiving personalised training to become a future leader of the company. On this particular day, I stumbled upon a magazine article left on the photocopier. This chance discovery revealed a startling statistic: in 1990, the average Australian changed careers three times. A quick Google search today places this average between 5-7 times. At that moment, I clearly remember thinking, ‘This will never be me! I’m so lucky to have this amazing job and opportunity. I’ll be at Qantas forever.”
Fast forward over 30 years, and I now find myself savouring the fruits of my third distinctive career change.
I’ve discovered reinvention is not for the faint hearted. It takes courage, persistence and resilience to forge a new career path, but the lynchpin ingredient is clarity. Clarity about your purpose and clarity about what the final destination looks like.
One of the most potent and profound ways to gather this clarity is through the art of journaling. It’s an almost daily habit that I’ve had throughout my life and has been instrumental in providing me with the insights that I’ve needed in order to both envision and make changes that I desire. I doubt that I would have taken the leap out of Qantas and into a film career without the support of this habit.
Whether you’re feeling the stirrings of a career shift or not, if dedicated self-reflection has been absent from your routine, I encourage you to read on and contemplate the questions posed below.
I always find this time of year one of the best periods for immersive journalling. The idea of taking some time out starts to take shape and those long sun filled days just seem to naturally encourage more expansive and strategic thinking.
The natural end and start of the calendar year also seems to provide an obvious bookend for both reflection and intention setting.
When Socrates said that “an unexamined life is not worth living” he was suggesting that true fulfillment and growth arise from our willingness to delve into the depths of our thoughts, actions, and aspirations.
Having a structure to apply to this exploration is incredibly valuable and I trust that you’ll find that
the following questions will serve as a powerful tool for capturing insights from the concluding year and fostering excitement and possibility for the one ahead.
2023 REFLECTION
What was the most important goal I achieved last year?
What was my biggest business/career accomplishment?
What was my biggest relationship accomplishment?
What was the most enjoyable part of my work?
In what area do I feel I’ve made my biggest improvements?
What was the most challenging part of the year for me?
Who do I wish I had gotten to know better?
What was the best way I used my time?
What was my single biggest time waster in life?
What was the biggest surprise of the year?
What’s the biggest mistake of the year, and the lesson learned as a result?
What was the most fun I had?
What was my best memory of the year?
What are three words to describe the past year, and why?
If I could travel back to the beginning of the year, what advice would I give myself?
What’s the status of the goals I set in 2022 and what goals do I want to set for the year going forward?
I urge you to put these reflections somewhere accessible for review at various points during the year ahead. It can be both an invigorating and sobering experience to read how well you’re tracking against what were clear desires at an earlier point in time.
2024 INTENTIONS
What is my intention for this year?
What am I going to continue doing?
What do I want to change completely?
How do I intend to be different at the end of this?
What will I do to step out of my comfort zone?
What do I want to accomplish?
Which existing relationships do I want to focus on?
What career/business opportunities do I want to create?
How I will make 2024 matter?
How will I help others?
What personal qualities do I want to strengthen?
What skills do I want to learn?
How will I take care of myself?
What places do I want to visit?
What will I say “no” to?
Who will I ask for help and support from?
Who do I want to become next year?
This blend of journalling and self-reflection provides a structured and mindful approach to intention setting. It can transform abstract thoughts into concrete goals, foster self-awareness, and empower you to navigate your journeys with purpose and clarity.
It may not result in a something as significant as a career shift this coming year, but it will create space to make your work and roles feel more meaningful and substantive.