How Career Coaching Can Help You Set Value-Aligned Goals for 2025: A Guide for Midlife Women
Ladies, as a career coach working with some AMAZING midlife women just like you, I've noticed something that keeps coming up in my practice: we often set career goals that look great on paper but don't really align with our deepest values and desires.
You know the ones I'm talking about - those goals that feel like "shoulds" rather than what we truly, authentically want. Get promoted, make more money, network more. While there's nothing wrong with having goals like these, they might miss the mark with what truly matters to us at this stage of our lives!
Why Traditional Career Goals Often Fall Short
Let's be honest, ladies… Traditional career goals typically focus on external metrics of success. But for us, as midlife women, success might mean something different now. After years of experience (and yes, some battle scars along the way!), we've gained incredible wisdom about what truly matters. This is where a little career coaching can make all the difference, helping us bridge the gap between conventional career planning and authentic goal-setting.
I see so many incredible women struggling with traditional goal-setting approaches that just don't account for our unique perspective and wisdom. We've spent years building careers, often while juggling family responsibilities, personal growth, and everything else life throws our way. This experience gives us such a deep understanding of what truly matters, yet we still often feel pressured to set goals that align with others' definitions of success!
The Value-Aligned Approach to Career Goals
Through my career coaching practice, I've developed a framework that helps women create meaningful career goals that actually feel GOOD - goals that honor all the wisdom and perspective we've gained! Here's how we do it:
1. Start with Your Values Check-In
Before writing down a single goal, I want you to ask yourself:
What matters most to you at this stage of your life?
When do you feel most aligned and at peace?
What makes you feel out of alignment at work?
What values are you no longer willing to compromise?
Ladies, this initial step is crucial! Our values evolve throughout our lives. What mattered most in our 30s might be completely different from what resonates deeply now. Career coaching helps you recognize and honor these shifts, creating space for goals that align with your current values rather than outdated expectations.
2. Honor Your Natural Strengths
Your goals should leverage what comes naturally to you. Here are some questions to help you get started with your strengths exploration:
What work activities energize rather than drain you?
When do you lose track of time because you're in your flow?
What do others consistently praise you for?
What unique perspectives do you bring to your work?
I find that midlife women often undervalue their strengths because they've become second nature. But these gifts you've developed over years of experience are pure gold! Career coaching can help you recognize and articulate these strengths in ways that support your career goals.
3. Consider Your Whole Self
This is so important, ladies. Your career goals should support your overall well being:
How much energy do you want to invest in work?
What boundaries need to be in place?
What does work-life harmony look like for you now?
How can your career support your mental and emotional health?
This holistic approach is particularly important for us midlife women who often find ourselves at a crossroads between career ambitions and personal wellbeing. Your career goals should enhance your life, not drain it!
4. Create Goals That Feel Like "Home"
Now comes the exciting part - crafting goals that truly align with who you are. Here's how we transform traditional career goals into value-aligned ones:
Traditional Goal: "Network more to find a new position"
Value-Aligned Goal: "Connect with three people monthly who are doing work that aligns with my values"
Traditional Goal: "Get promoted to director"
Value-Aligned Goal: "Create or find opportunities where I can use my natural leadership gifts to mentor others"
Traditional Goal: "Increase income by X%"
Value-Aligned Goal: "Identify ways to bring value that energize me AND support my financial goals"
Do you feel the difference? Value-aligned goals focus on the quality of experience rather than just the outcome, making them more meaningful and sustainable.
Implementing Your Value-Aligned Goals
Alright, ladies! Here's your action plan:
Set aside quiet time for genuine reflection
Write down your values, strengths, and desires without judgment (from yourself or others)
Review your current career situation - what feels aligned and what doesn't?
Create goals that honor YOUR unique values and needs
Identify small, doable steps that move you toward these aligned goals
This implementation phase is where career coaching can be truly transformative. Having a coach provides accountability, support, and expert guidance as you navigate your path forward.
The Power of Career Coaching
As your coach, I'm here to:
Offer science-backed strategies to clarify your values and strengths
Help you overcome those limiting beliefs and self-doubts
Provide accountability and encouragement
Share proven frameworks for goal achievement
Support you in staying true to your authentic self
Help you navigate challenges along the way
Celebrate your progress and wins
I understand that midlife women bring unique perspectives, challenges, and opportunities to their careers. Together, we can leverage your experience while embracing new possibilities!
Moving Forward with Confidence
Remember ladies, you don't need to have everything figured out right now! The key is to start moving in a direction that feels authentic to you. Your experience and wisdom are incredible assets, not limitations. When you align your career goals with your values, you create opportunities that feel both challenging and nurturing - opportunities that honor who you've become and who you want to be.
Let's Do This Together!
As midlife women, we've earned the right to create career goals that honor our wisdom and deep-rooted values. Through some thoughtful career coaching (and the framework I've shared above!), you can develop goals that not only look good on paper but feel deeply right for who you are and who you want to become!
Remember, it's never too late to create your dream career!
I’m Dawn LaRae, and I help mid-life professional women gain clarity and confidence in their next career chapter so they can experience passion and purpose in their work.
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