The Power of Focus: Your Career Reset to Finish the Year Strong
As summer fades and September brings renewed energy, it’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and reset your career goals. This month invites you to harness The Power of Focus — to dream about where you want to go, decide on clear steps to get there, and drive those actions with intention and resilience.
Focus in your career is more than checking off to-dos. It’s about aligning your daily work with your bigger purpose so you can show up confidently and make meaningful progress. With about four months left in the year, now is the time to cut through distractions and center your energy on what truly moves the needle.
Dream: Visualize Your Career Goals with Clarity
Career strategist and author Minda Harts says, “Dreaming with clarity gives your professional journey purpose and direction.” Take a moment to imagine your ideal role, the skills you want to build, or the impact you want to make. Research shows that visualizing goals increases motivation and performance (Psychology Today).
Decide: Design Your Path with Intentional Steps
Big career moves can feel overwhelming. Instead of trying to do everything at once, break your goals into manageable actions. Decide on specific, measurable steps — whether it’s updating your LinkedIn profile, enrolling in a skill-building course, or scheduling networking conversations.
Entrepreneur and leadership coach Janice Omadeke recommends using “focus blocks” to protect time for high-impact work. Setting boundaries around your schedule helps you dedicate energy to what matters most.
Drive: Commit to Consistent Progress
Driving your career forward requires consistent effort, especially when motivation wanes. Build a daily or weekly ritual to check in with your goals: review your priorities, celebrate small wins, and adjust your plan as needed.
Career development expert Dr. Roshawnna Novellus emphasizes the power of resilience, reminding us that “drive is the engine behind every successful career journey.” Remember, focus is less about perfection and more about direction.
Tune Out Distractions, Tune Into Growth
Workplace distractions from the endless emails to the social media notifications can derail your progress. Practice mindful digital habits like silencing non-urgent alerts and scheduling “deep work” periods to protect your focus.
By tuning out noise, you create space to innovate, learn, and lead with intention. This clarity lets you finish the year not just busy, but impactful.
September’s challenge: Dream boldly about your career, decide on intentional actions, and drive those steps with steady focus. This is your moment to align your work with your purpose and finish the year strong.
Deneen L. Garrett is a Dream Lifestyle™ coach, speaker, speaker and creator & host of a 100 Best Women’s Empowerment podcast Women of Color: An Intimate Conversation. She helps women design lives they love through intention, creativity and bold self-belief.