One of the biggest lessons I've learned from nature is this: the leaves and flowers of any growing plant are not visible all the time. And the same is true for us as ambitious high achievers. Even though we may want to be perpetually "in bloom", that's not realistic. This time of year, it's easy to get swept away in the energy of a new year. Fresh starts. New beginnings. But what happens when your grand ambitions for the year have yet to surface? When your actual life doesn't match the hashtags of your favorite inspirational Instagram influencer? You may be looking for that spring energy - evidenced by sprouting green stems and unfurling baby leaves. But in reality, that may not necessarily be where you are. If you're currently in a growing phase where your progress isn't visible to the outside world, don't worry.  Trees may lose their leaves, but they don't die in winter. There's still a lot going on underground. Some very big and very important things may be taking root. But that's the type of growth that you can't necessarily see. Don't label yourself as "behind" if your vision for the year hasn't come into focus just yet. Just because your progress isn't obvious and visible doesn't mean your growth is stalled. Things are still shifting. Seeds are cracking open. Dreams are taking root - even if you can't see it yet.  ***  January is one of the BEST months of the year to find and land a new job, and if you’re like many high achievers, you may be looking to make a career move, right now. But how do you make sure you don't end up in another ill-fitting job one year from now? The answer? GET CLEAR. Get clear on what you WANT so you can go after work that is aligned with WHO you authentically are. I share over 100 clarifying questions in the Package Your Genius personal branding book and companion personal branding workbook to help you get clear on what you want and what you bring to the table. Once you’re clear, it’s so much easier to find work that was tailor-made for you. Get the book >> http://bit.ly/pygbook Get the workbook >> http://bit.ly/pygworkbook