I started this blog 11 months ago with reflections on my career journey so far. Given this is my last blog of the year and we’re closing the door on 2024, it seems fitting to share my reflections on what’s next.
Every year, I choose an actionable theme to guide and center me. This year’s theme was “Inspire”. Looking back, I believe I stayed true to that, both as an inspiration to others and being open to inspiration.
Lately, I’ve felt like there’s a million things to be done and not enough time to do them all. While that’s not an unfamiliar feeling, what’s greatly affecting me is this sense of urgency. It feels like we’re approaching an inflection point or convergence of Big Things Happening Everywhere, All At Once, and all I can think is, “Am I doing enough fast enough? What else can I do?” Recognizing what can quickly become a doomed thought spiral, I’ve been re-centering with self-command, “Focus.”
Focus is my theme for 2025.
Taking one thing at a time and devoting energy to that one thing is something I’ve never really practiced meaningfully. I’ve always been a multi-tasker: scrolling the internet while watching tv; pausing writing an email to check the latest one to come in. I’m also prone to rumination, which, according to Sarah Deane and her groundbreaking work on managing personal energy, is the energy-draining antithesis of focusing.
In 2025, I’m challenging myself to stop and focus on being present in the moment and approach my work more intentionally, focusing on people and purpose, not just productivity. Here are some of my check-ins:
Is this a quick win or sustainable solution, and am I managing it and setting expectations accordingly?
Am I setting goals informed by actionable data and current or planned availability, capacity, effectiveness, and the complexities of the people involved, or do idealized versions of systems and resources inflate them?
Am I building knowledge and experience to adapt and avoid an over-reliance on what’s worked so far?
Have I considered how proximity and direct communication might provide better information and outcomes than data and analytics?
Why am I doing this?
Looking beyond 2025, I believe those of us working to create an equitable and just society must continue to innovate and collaborate. We must stay grounded in our focus on positive impact, expanding our knowledge to meet changing societal needs and building communities of practice to expand the reach and scope of our work.
There is so much I want to do and so much that needs doing. I’ve run a long time with the sprinter’s mindset – go, go, go! Faster! Faster! Faster! Meeting this moment and preparing for the future means changing gears and downshifting to a marathon pace. Steady. Deliberate. Deep breaths. Focus.
When it comes to what’s next, I look to the words of Octavia Butler and her gift of world-building set in the future from a 2000 essay in Essence magazine for inspiration and focus:
“I mean, there’s no single answer that will solve all of our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers-at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.”
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