With only a few days left in the year, I’m reflecting on the last decade. For me it was about overcoming fear and taking alternate routes. If I had to name it I would call it Facing Your Front.

I took some calculated risk over the last 10 years. I quit a FT salaried position w goodt benefits to attend grad school FT. I worked as a super grown intern to gain experience in my chosen career. I took on roles that I knew probably weren’t great for me mentally but were great for my career trajectory. I sought therapy that was long overdue and faced some tough decisions head on. None of this was on a whim. As I mentioned everything I do is fairly calculated and planned, even though folks close to me would disagree. I knew what I wanted and didn’t want in life and devised and implemented plans to achieve those outcomes.

As I look forward to 2020, I will continue to face my front and I encourage you to do the same. You don’t have to know everything up ahead or have grand plans or goals. It’s actually easier to accomplish the smaller goals that will eventually lead to your grand goal. For example, let’s say you want to buy a house or rent a condo in that nice new community. So start with a plan to improve your credit score or implement a budget to save for the deposit or down payment. Just take a step forward, assess and handle whatever you encounter and repeat.

The other part of this is not being scared to pivot. If something doesn’t work out, pause and/or change directions. just don’t turn back. Chasing dreams is hard. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking it’s not. Most successful people will tell you they faced obstacle after obstacle but they will also tell you they kept going. That’s what we’re doing in 2020. We’re going to keep going.

How do you do this?

1. Start by identifying your goals.

2. Create an actionable plan to achieve each goal. Break each goal down into smaller goals. Do your research so you have a plan that is realistic for you.

3. Put the plan in motion. Tackle one step at a time until you’ve accomplished your goal.

Keep revisiting the plan. Talk to folks that are where you want to be. And be patient with yourself.