As the year draws to a close and the calendar fills with celebrations; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and countless other moments of light and connection many of us instinctively take stock. Amid gatherings, travel plans, and check-ins with friends and family, there’s an unspoken question that lingers: Where are you really?
Professionally, 2025 has been anything but predictable. Market volatility, shifting government policies, and industry realignments have demanded agility from even the most seasoned legal and business leaders. Personally, we’ve all been asked to balance more with fewer certainties. So before the next quarter beckons, pause. Take inventory. How are you doing, truly?
Career Reflection, Holiday Edition:
This isn’t about resolutions, it’s about reconnection. Are you fulfilled by the work you’re doing, and does it still align with your values? The year’s end is a natural checkpoint to assess whether your career path still feels like yours.
Compensation and Contribution:
Before year-end reviews and bonus conversations, ask: does your compensation reflect the value you’ve created this year? If not, it might be time to prepare for that conversation early in Q1 or explore opportunities where your impact is matched by recognition.
Values as Your Guiding Light:
In a season centered on gratitude and meaning, revisit the principles that define you. Which of your core values showed up most this year, and which were tested? The right professional environment will always allow your values to breathe (maybe flourish), not suffocate.
Decision-Making Clarity:
If change is on the horizon, evaluate your options deliberately. Use your personal “Career Decision-Making Matrix” to weigh opportunity, growth, balance, and compensation. The right next step often reveals itself when you create a space to pause.
Negotiation and Renewal:
As you think ahead, remember: negotiating isn’t just about numbers. It’s about aligning expectations, flexibility, and professional fit. The best deals whether in a career or otherwise, feel like mutual victories.
Closing Thoughts:
This holiday season, take time to breathe before leaping into what’s next. Reflection is not idle; it’s strategic. By reconnecting with your purpose, assessing your worth, and aligning with what matters most, you set the stage not just for a new year, but for a more intentional one.
So between the twinkle lights or candles and the briefs or documents, between gratitude and goal-setting, take a moment and see what surfaces for you.
We’re here if you’d like to talk through how the matrix is designed and its purpose for you.
