How to take control of your career with confidence
Have you ever felt like your career is happening to you rather than something you’re actively shaping? You’re not alone.
Many women find themselves caught in the cycle of busyness—responding to emails, attending meetings, ticking off daily tasks—without making real progress toward their long-term career goals. But there’s a powerful shift that can change everything: moving from wishful thinking to intentional action.
If you’re ready to take control, here’s how to step forward with clarity and confidence.
The Difference Between Being Busy and Being Intentional
Let’s start with a hard truth: Being busy is not the same as being intentional.
Many of us spend our days checking off to-do lists, reacting to requests, and handling immediate deadlines. But busyness doesn’t necessarily translate to growth. True progress comes from intentional action—making deliberate choices that move you toward your vision.
Ask yourself:
- Am I doing work that aligns with my long-term career aspirations?
- Do my daily actions reflect my bigger goals?
- Or am I just going through the motions, hoping for change?
If your days are filled with endless tasks but little forward momentum, it’s time for a reset.
The Career Audit: What’s Working, What’s Not, and What Needs to Change?
Before you can move forward, you need a clear understanding of where you are right now. That’s where a career audit comes in:
- Identify what’s working. What aspects of your job energise and fulfill you? Where have you seen success?
- Pinpoint what’s not working. What drains you? What feels stagnant? Where do you feel stuck?
- Decide what needs to change. What would help you feel more engaged, challenged, and aligned with your values?
This exercise will help you identify key focus areas so you can take intentional steps toward meaningful change.
The Power of Micro-Wins: Small Steps, Big Results
One of the biggest myths about career success is that it happens in big moments—landing a promotion, getting a dream job, or making a dramatic career pivot. But, in reality, success is built on small, consistent wins that add up over time.
Instead of waiting for a major breakthrough, start focusing on micro-wins: small, intentional actions that create momentum. For example:
- Speaking up in one meeting per week.
- Reaching out to one new connection on LinkedIn.
- Setting a personal development goal and taking one small step toward it.
The key is progress, not perfection.
Practical Steps to Take Control of Your Career Now
Feeling ready to move forward? Here’s where to start:
1. Set three bold career goals for the year. Choose three high-impact goals that will drive real change in your career. Consider focusing on these:
- Skill: What new capability do you want to develop?
- Relationship: Who do you need to connect with or learn from?
- Opportunity: What role, project, or experience will stretch you?
2. Create a quarterly career strategy. A yearly goal is great, but breaking it into 90-day actions helps ensure progress. Ask yourself:
- What specific actions can I take in the next three months?
- How will I measure my success?
- What potential obstacles might arise, and how can I overcome them?
Write your plan down: When goals are documented, you’re far more likely to achieve them.
3. Ask, advocate, and align. Most career breakthroughs don’t happen by accident; they happen because someone asks for an opportunity, advocates for themselves, and aligns their actions with their vision.
- Ask for opportunities. Don’t assume people know what you want. Speak up about your ambitions.
- Advocate for yourself. Own your accomplishments. If you don’t highlight your contributions, who will?
- Align your actions. Ensure that everything you do—projects you take on, relationships you build—moves you toward your long-term vision.
Your Career, Your Move
Taking control of your career isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment. It’s about creating momentum through intentional, consistent action.
So, what’s your next step? Choose one thing from this list and commit to it today. The smallest shift in action can lead to the biggest transformation.