Design Your 2025: An Impact-Driven Career Planning Guide for Work That’s Worth It

As I reflect on 2024, I’m filled with gratitude. This year marked several personal milestones – completing my first non-fiction book, preparing for the launch of my podcast, and building a platform to share a message I deeply believe in: that business must be a force for good in our world.

The urgency of this message has never been clearer. By March 14th this year, humanity had already consumed more ecological resources than Earth can regenerate in a year. The past six years alone account for 75% of what we consumed in an entire century. Let that sink in.

While Netflix’s ‘BUY NOW’ documentary powerfully illustrates how our accelerating consumerism devastates our planet without making us happier, I’ve witnessed this tension firsthand through conversations within my close network. Many have achieved remarkable financial success yet feel a deep void in their work’s meaning. One senior marketing executive at a major consumer brand confided in me: “I know how to sell anyone our product. We are so good at it that I can get them to buy way more than they need. But now that I have kids and think about their future, I’m thinking about the impact this has on our world… And I can’t keep doing what I’m so good at anymore.”

This is why I’m passionate about charting a new path – one that transforms both the Uninspired Achiever and the Un-rewarded Do-Gooder into Disruptors for Good. With 80% of the population willing to make changes to reduce climate change impacts, we’re at a crucial turning point.

Start with the Big Picture

You’ve likely felt the pressure to chase prestigious roles before fully exploring who you are and what truly matters to you. Let’s hit pause on the success ladder for a moment. Can you think of yourself as a Disruptor for Good – someone building a career that’s both personally fulfilling and contributes positively to the world?

The Two Dimensions of Meaningful Work

Take a moment to assess where you stand on these two critical dimensions:

1. Good for You:
   How fulfilled are you? Consider your overall satisfaction, including compensation, growth, and energy levels. Rate yourself (zero being unfulfilled, and 10 being completely fulfilled): 0 ——————- 10
2. Good for the World:
   How satisfied are you with your impact? Are you contributing positively to something larger than you? Are you using your talents to create the change you want to see? Rate yourself: 0 ——————- 10

Now, envision where you want to be on both scales by the end of 2025. The gap between your current and desired states? That’s your growth opportunity.

Bridging the Gap

Defining “Good for You”

Think beyond just salary. What gives you energy? Consider:

• Working with inspiring role models
• Aligning work with your personal mission
• Flexibility and work-life integration
• Growth opportunities
• Work environment that energizes you
• Etc.

Defining “Good for the World”

Do you know how you are helping our world? Can your parents (or children) explain to their friends how your work makes the world better? If not, reflect on:

• The specific impact you want to create
• How your skills can address meaningful challenges
• What you want to be known for
• The problems you feel called to solve

Making It Happen: Your 2025 Action Plan

1. Identify Your 2025 Big Movers

These are bold leaps that will significantly advance both dimensions of your career. What major moves could transform your personal fulfillment and your impact on the world?

2. Design Your Quarterly Experiments

Break down your Big Movers into 1-3 concrete experiments per quarter. Then, for each experiment, make it tangible:

• Let’s Go: What specific action will you ADD to move forward?
• Let Go: What do you need to STOP doing or change to succeed?

Remember, making these commitments conscious and doable is transformative. They accelerate your growth and help you:

• Build confidence and resilience
• Attract aligned opportunities
• Stay true to your values
• Make clearer decisions
• Find deeper fulfillment

A Call to Action for 2025

As Margaret Mead wisely noted, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This truth resonates deeply today. What’s particularly hopeful is that for many of the challenges we face, we already have solutions. The missing piece isn’t innovation – it’s the collective will to implement and invest in change.

This is where you come in. As you plan for 2025, remember that you’re not just planning a career – you’re designing your contribution to a better world. The solutions exist. The willingness to change exists. Now, we need leaders like you to bridge the gap between possibility and reality.

Your career choices matter more than you might think. Each decision you make, each role you take on, each project you lead – these are opportunities to align professional success with positive impact. Whether you’re just starting your career or pivoting to something more meaningful, now is the perfect time to become part of the solution.

Take 30 minutes this week to map out your current position and 2025 goals on both dimensions. Then identify one Big Mover and design your first quarterly experiment. Your future self will thank you for starting now.

Are you ready to become a Disruptor for Good? Share your reflections in the comments below or connect with me on Instagram – I will answer your DMs personally.

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Georgi