Catch you 2022/23 FY year! A year full of promise and opportunity, retrenchments, and inflation. It’s been wild and unpredictable, and you’re no doubt looking at the year ahead with wide eyes full of optimism for big career change. 

Here’s how you can align with purpose and hit your new year goals with Objectives & Key Results goal setting (OKR). 

In this guide: 

• Step 1: Find your Ikigai 
• Step 2: Pause and reflect on the year that was 
• Step 3: Set your OKRs 

Step 1: Find your Ikigai 

Are you seeking more joy and fulfillment in life? Ikigai may help. 

Thirty-eight percent of respondents in our 2022 Candidate Motivators Survey said a lack of purpose in their current job motivated them to switch employers. But changing jobs isn’t necessarily the life-enhancing opportunity we intend it to be. If your desire for change is linked to your desire to find purpose at work, then you’ll want to get crystal clear on what drives you before even glancing at a job board. 

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that helps you find joy in life. Your Ikigai is the intersection of your talent, passion, and benefit to others. But more than just feeling a sense of meaning in the things we do; we can also have a source of Ikigai, such as from our children or grandchildren. What makes you feel like life is worth living every day? 

Consider what might be your source of Ikigai as well as what brings you a sense of meaning and fulfillment at work. Once you’ve figured that out, it may paint a clearer picture of your path forward (it may mean staying put for extra flexibility to allow more time with your source). Additionally, you could explore the extra value-adds that your current company offers its people beyond the paycheck to see if there’s opportunities to do more of what you love. 

Read: How to use Ikigai to feel more fulfilled at work

Watch: 5 Ways to find purpose and joy by tapping into your Ikigai 

Step 2: Pause and reflect on the year that was 

Before you head out in the new year trying to change-up your world, you may want to reflect on the year that was. 

What have you achieved? 

What challenges did you face? 

Which areas can you develop to improve performance? 

You may also want to map out your career journey over the past five years – have you been progressing? Are you doing and learning things you love and enjoy? If not, what do you wish your career journey looked like? 

If you’re flying loose out there, switching things up without a clear intention or objectives, you’ll probably find yourself in the exact same place in five years’ time. This leads us to… goal setting! 

Step 3: Set your OKRs 

Now that you’ve found your purpose and you have a clear idea of where to take your career, you’ll want to set some clear and measurable goals to get there. OKR is a goal-setting framework to help you decide on – and stick to – a direction that helps you evolve. 

Drawing from your personal values and career mission, you can create a few objectives. To achieve your objectives, you’ll then list the {measurable} key results and the actions/activities you’ll undertake to achieve your desired results. 

An example of what this looks like: 

Objective: Build my personal brand and become a prominent thought leader on LinkedIn 

Key result: 5,000 followers by Dec 2023 / Increase connections by 50% 

Actions: 

• 1. Comment on 10 posts per month to raise my brand awareness and drive engagement. 
• 2. Write one LinkedIn pulse article per month on {subject of authority}. 
• 3. Publish two posts per week. 

OKRs help you establish an intentional, concrete plan and tasks, so you can achieve your desired career goals. 

When it comes to accomplishing your new year goals, you don’t have to go it alone. If you need help taking your career to the next level in the new FY, reach out to our Talenza recruitment specialists.