2026 is around the corner, so alongside thinking about what you achieved so far in 2025, it’s worth taking some time to plan ahead and think of where you want to be headed in your career in 2026 and align your goals.
Careers don’t often change overnight, instead they drift gradually. Take this time to notice what has shifted, what feels different in your work, what you like and don’t like, and what you’ve already outgrown and what you don’t want more of in 2026.
You may feel like you’ve just woken up after a long nap and find yourself disoriented and asking “where am I?”. This is not the job you really hoped you’d get chosen for. You may have more self-awareness – what you like, don’t like, your limitations and your strengths.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to understand where you’re at and where you want to be headed in your career in 2026.
How you work best.
With experience comes self-knowledge. Try to understand which environments help you focus more easily, the types of collaborations and projects that energised you and which ones you want more or less of. Do you need more structure, or more freedom? At which pace do you do your best thinking? These are all questions which will help you figure out and attune to a better work life in 2026.
If 2025 offered nothing, it may have offered more clarity.
When you’re just starting out, the world is your oyster. Variety and opportunity might have helped motivate you. Now you may feel like clarity is more important. You would rather have clear expectations, communication and more ownership than newness and constant change. Especially in small teams, clarity can make all the difference between feeling stretched and feeling trusted.
How does work fit into your life?
How do you measure success? Whilst work and satisfaction in what you do may still be deeply important to you, there is something else in the equation: how sustainable it is. Working 60 hour weeks may have been what you needed or were ok with doing for a while – but it is not sustainable. By the end of it, you’ll burn out and it will take time to get back to a good place. Questions become less about what’s next and more about what fits into your life. Ask yourself: what kind of working life do you want to look back on with pride? How does work sit alongside family, health, and interests? What rhythms feel manageable long-term? These are all important questions that will help you understand what you want from your career in 2026 and beyond.
Acknowledge changes
You may have started the year one way but both growth and, oftentimes, circumstance have made you into someone else. You may have become a parent, suffered heartbreak or a big loss or you’ve simply realised you need to make some life changes. Your priorities evolve and with that, your goals. Recognising you’ve changed and accepting that your goals need to change to is a first step towards a 2026 that is more aligned with you.
Recognising the gaps
You may be working towards a career goal, but you also need to take time to take stock of your skills. Think of how you can apply your current skill set towards your career goal, and what gap there might be there. Go into 2026 with a plan to better yourself and close those gaps! Have a look at courses available and start planning.
Good luck!
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