Self-direction

Thinking ahead: what outcomes do I want?

In terms of building your resilience, it is most important to think about the daily inputs that you can manage, to help us build the overall ability to bounce back or respond to setbacks. However, like the goals outlined in the previous section, it is often useful to think of the outcomes that you want from the behaviours that you employ on a daily basis.

Sometimes it is useful to spend some time reminding yourself to think about the bigger picture and focus on the outcome that you want from situations or pieces of work.

Having an outcome focus can help to determine whether or not any piece of work fits with what you want to be doing or achieving in your career. When you mindlessly say yes, or as importantly, don’t say no, you can find yourself with things that are not your work or that may be enjoyable but don’t move you forward in the things that are either pure enjoyment and fun or useful.