Stop Reinventing Yourself. Start Building Capability.
Why progress comes from learning, not starting over.
Summary: The start of a new year creates pressure to reinvent ourselves through bold resolutions and sweeping change. In reality, who we are tends to remain stable, and that is a strength rather than a weakness. But what does need regular attention is what we are capable of. In a world of accelerated change, learning is central to sustainable careers and effective leadership. This article invites you to pause, reflect on your career, identify capability gaps, and turn insight into a focused, realistic learning plan.
January has a strange energy. There is pressure to reinvent yourself, set bold resolutions, and become a better version overnight. It may sound appealing, but it is rarely how real change works.
Which is why I have never been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. Not because reflection doesn’t matter (quite the opposite), but because who we are does not suddenly shift because the calendar flips from December to January. Our values, character, and core strengths tend to be pretty stable. And that is a good thing.
But what can, and should! evolve constantly is what we are capable of.
In a world of accelerated change, learning is no longer a “nice to have”. It is central to sustainable careers, successful teams, and healthy organisations. Which is why I encourage you to pause, take stock of where you are, map your capabilities against where you want to go, and close the gaps deliberately.
Below are questions worth revisiting regularly, but at least once every six months. Do this in writing. Writing things down sharpens your thinking, and it gives you something to refer to next time you revisit these questions.
What are my mid to long-term career goals? Career goals are not static, and nor should they be. Reflect on whether your ambitions have shifted as your life, values, or context have changed. For example, a role that once felt like the obvious next step may now feel misaligned with how you want to work or live.
What have I recently learned that led to this shift? Pay attention to insights gained through experience, feedback, or observation. You might have learned that you thrive when leading through influence rather than authority, or that a certain environment drains rather than energises you. These insights are data, not distractions.
What skills do I need to acquire to reach my goals? Once your goal is clear, the skills gap becomes visible. An individual contributor aiming for a first team lead role may realise that strong personal delivery is no longer enough, and that success now depends on giving feedback and guiding others’ work. And a more experienced leader with C-suite ambitions may see that deep expertise alone no longer sets them apart, but that their impact comes from influencing beyond their function and contributing confidently to big, messy decisions.
How do I need to enhance how I show up? Skills are only part of the picture. Your leadership presence matters at least as much. This might mean speaking with more conviction in senior forums, slowing down instead of rushing to prove value, or holding boundaries more clearly when under pressure.
Turning insights into a plan
Reflection without action isn’t enough. Make an action plan, and remember to keep it simple and realistic.
What three areas of learning will you focus on? Just three is enough. More than that becomes overwhelming and quickly slips down the priority list. Choose areas that will make the biggest difference to your effectiveness and confidence.
What is the biggest risk to your success, and how will you minimise it? Common obstacles include lack of time, old habits, or self-doubt. Be honest about what might get in your way. Then decide what to do about it. Maybe you need to drop a low-value commitment to create space and time. Or you want to ask for support from a mentor or coach. Or you put dedicated non-negotiable learning slots into your diary.
When will you review progress, and what does success look like? Decide when you will revisit these questions and what needs to have happened for you to feel satisfied with progress. These are your personal KPIs. They might include specific behaviours you are practising, feedback you are receiving, or decisions you are making differently.
The new year does not require a ‘new you’. But it can be an opening for a more intentional version of you, one that keeps learning, adapting, and building capability over time.
If this resonates, take half an hour this week to work through these questions properly. Small, focused reflection now can shape a far more confident and successful year ahead.
Wishing you a happy and successful 2026!!GNATURE
January 2026
+++ Quick reminder about the LeapSheet Library +++
If you have not explored the LeapSheet Library yet, this is a good moment. It is a growing collection of practical self-coaching tools designed to help you pause, think clearly, and make better choices at work and in your career.
Or, if it’s been a while since you last visited, it is worth another look. We have added a number of new LeapSheets and added categories, making it much easier to find exactly what you need, when you need it.
For example, you might want to check out Finding Your North Star LeapSheet which helps you identify meaningful career goals. And the Career Plan on a Page helps you translate your goal into a practical action plan.
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