best career advice for 2019

The best career advice for 2019 (yes, really)

I know it sounds like bragging but I promise you, this blog post contains the single best career advice for 2019!

If you are already practicing the Getting Things Done methodology, go to the next paragraph.
If you are not practicing GTD, this is the best career advice for 2019: Start practicing GTD.
Check out the below page for information on how to get started.

Getting started with Getting Things Done

FOCUS page: Getting started with Getting Things Done Here you will find everything you need to know about getting started with ...
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The best career advice for 2019

Given that you already practice GTD, this is my best career advice for 2019: Set up your personal GTD Horizons of Focus and keep these updated. Make sure that you review your Horizons of Focus at least four times per year.

The GTD Horizons of Focus is a fantastic tool for navigating in a hectic environment.
Most things in life take time to complete. Every achievement is the sum of many actions and decisions. 

If you are mostly focused on your actions and day-to-day decisions, there is a real danger of losing track of where you are heading.

best career advice for 2019
You have to plan your next move. (Picture: Stockvault)

You are responsible for your own career

It does not matter if you are a college student or in the middle of your career. It does not matter if you want to become a baker or a banker. If you want to move from where you are, you have to take responsibility for your own career.


“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

Yogi Berra

If that wasn’t enough, according to this Harward Business Review article, the traditional career path is dead. What does this mean for you? It means that you have to take responsibility for your own personal growth, learning, networking and, ultimately, your own career moves.

But what if you do not want to move? Even if you are totally happy with where you are, you still have to take responsibility to keep up-to-date on what is going on in your area of work. If you don’t, there is a real danger that you will find yourself overrun by someone more eager and informed that yourself.

How to plan your own career using the GTD Horizons of Focus

Before you start making plans, you have to be in line with your own values. You should start by asking yourself a very basic but equally perplexing question: What do I want people to say about me in my funeral?

The ansver might be something like “helpful, professional, loving, and someone who made a difference.”

The next question should then be: What does my life look like when I’m living those values that led to the first answer?  In other words, What do I need to do in order to stay on top of my game at work, so that I can contribute to really make a difference? And, what do I need to focus on so that my wife and children feel loved? As well as How do I make space in my life to contribute to my community?

Yes, I know this is big, but so is your life. All you got is one chance to live it.

Rodins Thinker. (Picture: Staockvault)

Getting started with GTD Horizons of Focus might seem like an overwhelming task. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do it all at once. Chances are that you will also have to take some time and adjust as you go along. The most important thing is to start the thought process.

For the basics of the GTD Horizons of Focus, read below.

GTD Horizons of focus

GTD Horizons of Focus – A framework for success

This is part 1 in a series about GTD Horizons of Focus. Part 2 is GTD Horizons of Focus – How to ...
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Read on. Here are some practical examples to get you started.

GTD Horizons of Focus Part 2: How to get started

This is part 2 in a series about GTD Horizons of Focus. Part 1 is GTD Horizons of Focus – A ...
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Here is how I manage my Horizons of Focus in Todoist.

GTD Horizons of Focus Part 3: How I manage my Horizons of Focus in Todoist

This is part 3 in a series about GTD Horizons of Focus. Part 1 is GTD Horizons of Focus - A ...
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Happy new year

I hope that this has been an inspiring read. 2019 is infront of you. Make it yours.
Best wishes for the coming year!

2 comments

  1. I can’t agree more! I saw your first Horizon’s of Focus post last year and set mine up using your guide. It really helped shape my goals and decisions in my career and at home. Thank you!

    1. Thank’s TJ. Nice to hear that my writing helps other people.

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