Thinking about next steps - this is where most get it wrong

Last time we explored mastering the NOW: building habits, presence, and focus so you can regain control of your day and energy. (If you missed it, you can read it here)

Now that you’ve created a bit more space and clarity, it’s time to look at what comes NEXT.

Not the 10 year plan or some distant goal, the next step.

Here is where many people get stuck, they try to map the entire journey before taking the first step. Others wait for perfect clarity before moving at all, and end up staying exactly where they are.

What “Next” Really Means

Next doesn’t always mean big. The next step is about direction: knowing where you want to move, even if the full path isn’t visible yet.

Take career growth, for example. Many people focus on getting a promotion or finding a new job - goals that depend on timing, decisions, or circumstances beyond their control. When those things don’t move fast enough, they end up doing more of the same, waiting for change to happen.

But what if that promotion never comes? The point isn’t to wait, it’s to focus on what you can do: how you show up, what you learn, and the small, intentional actions that move you forward regardless of the outcome.

Next is the step that keeps you growing.

You’ve already grounded yourself in presence and focus. Now it’s time to direct that energy to make sure your effort isn’t just movement, but progress in the right direction.

Moving Forward with Clarity

To move forward with intention, you need three things: Direction, Milestones, and Progress. Together, they form the bridge between where you are and where you want to be.

1. Direction is your compass. Without it, even the hardest work can leave you feeling off-track, wondering, “Why am I even doing this?”

You don’t need a five-year plan to have direction. You just need to know what's important and why it’s worth your energy. It’s less about predicting the future and more about moving toward what feels aligned. When you choose your North, decisions get lighter. You stop chasing every option and start recognising which ones are truly yours.

Reflection question: “If everything went well in the next six months, what would feel like meaningful progress — and why?”

2. Milestones -  Big goals can feel overwhelming because they live far in the future. Milestones are signals on your path: pre-defined checkpoints you plan, measure, and use to recalibrate.

Think of them like markers on a map: even if you haven’t started walking yet, you can see the route, know where you want to go, and track how far you’ve come. Another way to picture it’s pebbles on a trail, one behind to see your progress, one ahead to know what’s next.

They aren’t boxes to tick; they’re tools for clarity and adjustment. When you hit one, pause and ask: what worked, what didn’t, do I need to adjust the route?

Reflection question: “What’s one marker that would show you’re moving in the right direction — even before the big goal arrives?”

3. Progress is the movement itself: the actual actions, decisions, and behaviors that propel you toward your milestones. It’s less about perfect execution and more about showing up intentionally.

Sometimes progress is quiet: the boundaries you finally hold, the decision you no longer avoid, the small step that aligns with your purpose. Most people only measure outcomes, but real progress is movement in the right direction, even when the destination isn’t fully clear yet. It’s alignment over achievement.

Tracking these small wins keeps you moving and prevents growth from depending solely on external validation.

Reflection question: “What subtle progress could you acknowledge this week that shows you’re evolving, not just advancing?”

Action for This Week

Pick one area where you’d like to see real progress — it could be work, learning, or something personal. Define one clear direction for it, one small milestone, and one way to track progress.

Keep it simple. The goal isn’t to plan everything, it’s to take one deliberate step that shows you’re moving with purpose.

In the next and final part of this series, we’ll explore how to turn clarity into lasting performance, so you can keep building the future you want without losing balance along the way.

See you soon,

Serena

P.S. If you want to define your next step and finish the year strong, check Design Your Work Life. I’d be happy to see if I can support you.

☕ More clarity, less noise. Your cup of insights, delivered straight to your inbox. You can subscribe here.