The strategic self-reflection calendar
" There is no favorable wind for the one who does not know where they are going. "
Sénèque
Taking time to reflect strategically on your relationship and career is a game-changer!
Pausing in your life to gain perspective on your relationship and career challenges is a strategic move. It’s essential to accelerate your professional evolution and land a position that matches your ambition and level of commitment. It’s about reclaiming ownership of your strategic agenda to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Like a high-level athlete, visualizing each step to prepare for life’s major milestones is vital, for both your career and your happiness.
Very concretely, here’s a framework to help align your schedule with your ambitions.
Daily (just a few minutes)
What were my 2 or 3 wins today?
Weekly (ideally Friday afternoon)
Did I make real progress on my 3 priorities this week?
Does next week’s schedule reflect those same 3 priorities?
What topics or goals do I need to focus on next week?
Quarterly
Celebrate my achievements.
What have I learned?
What will I do differently?
Is my network aligned with my ambition?
Am I taking good care of myself and my loved ones?
Annually
Celebrate my successes.
What do I love about my job?
What do I want to change?
Pick one area to grow in this year:
Digital / Leadership / Management / Organization / Communication / AI / Tech / Creativity / Network / Daring to ask / Daring to take care of myself, etc.
Every 3 to 5 years
Do I have the career and income I want and deserve?
→ If yes: celebrate.
→ If not: what’s my action plan?
Take stock of your professional and personal life—especially your professional network. Here are some powerful questions to ask yourself:
What motivates me most? What do I truly love doing each day?
What job criteria matter most to me?
What compromises am I unwilling to make? What boundaries do I set?
What do I need to unlearn, improve, or develop to level up my career?
What key experiences have I succeeded in? What super-talents did I use?
Which of these skills will serve me in future roles?
Which projects did I love managing?
What support do I need to grow? (Training, coaching, supervision, therapy… and in what form?)
Do I need to take better care of myself? (Fitness, osteopathy, family, partner…)
Every 10 years
Take a 10-year look back: successes, joys, do you feel like continuing, shifting, or starting fresh?
What are you aspiring to?
Start by defining your ambitions and desires, taking into account your need for meaning and pleasure, these fuel your intrinsic motivation.
This is the time to free your creativity and let your imagination run wild. In design thinking, this is called the “Back to the Future” method: by projecting yourself into an almost fictional world, you can break free from constraints and mental blocks. You’ll come back to the present with a more grounded and realistic version, but don’t let hyper-rationality keep you from dreaming up your ideal job.
Give yourself space for brainstorming. Write down all the people and places that inspire you, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and watch biopics to nourish your vision. This projection will help you pinpoint what you need to evolve in your career.
Then, set time-bound goals with clear milestones.
From age 50 or 60 onward
Prepare for the end of your career or retirement: financially, professionally, family-wise, or through volunteering.
Define your personal legacy: what do you want to leave your children, grandchildren, or professional community?
Whether it’s writing a book, passing on a family home or artwork, contributing to a professional organization or non-profit, or mentoring younger generations, there are many meaningful options for this stage of life, when passing on what we’ve learned becomes a joy.
Whatever stage you’re at, envisioning or defining the actions you want to take toward your strategic life calendar is always worthwhile.
So, what are your first steps?
#Leadership #Coaching #Supervision #Inspiration #SelfReflection