Follow the tips below on how to set powerful goals for your legal career and make 2022 your most purposeful and fulfilling year yet.

Look back to better look forward

The first step in making a plan for the year ahead is to take the time to reflect on what happened in the last year and how that impacted your career. Here are some quick questions to help yourself take stock:

• What are some new skills I learned in the past year?
• What lessons did I learn in the last 12 months?
• What parts of my work did I enjoy the most and the least?

We’re often so busy thinking about our to-do list that we forget to reflect on the progress we’ve made. But to confidently move ahead, it’s important to recognise and celebrate your past achievements. So go ahead and don’t be shy – write down in black and white your five most significant career accomplishments from the past year.

Don’t forget your wellbeing

The legal profession is demanding, and unfortunately, many lawyers will likely suffer from mental health issues at some point in their careers. This is why implementing strategies to build resilience should be an integral part of your plan. If you’ve started this journey already, take note of the key activities that helped you in 2021 and make sure to continue prioritising them in the future. If you haven’t yet, make 2022 the year you adopt new healthy habits.

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Set SMART goals!

Now that you better understand what did and did not fulfil you in 2021 – it’s time to start shaping 2022. An excellent way to start is to choose a general area of focus for your professional development and break it down into several smaller goals. But remember, all goals are not equal, so make sure yours are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely). Think about how you can take full advantage of your annual CPD requirements and select educational activities that will help you build the skills you need to achieve your goals.

Stay accountable

Last but not least, goals are only wishes unless you start working on them. Once you’ve reflected on your year and set yourself SMART goals, find a way to keep yourself accountable and follow up on these goals. For example, you could send your notes to yourself by email (or even better, schedule the email to be sent to yourself a year from now). That way, you can evaluate your yearly progress and keep building your professional goals.

Now that you have a comprehensive plan for the upcoming year, it’s time to find CPD activities to support your professional growth for the next 12 months. Visit LawCPD.com.au today to find your next legal CPD course to power up your legal career in 2022.