Personal and professional goals provide inspiration and direction. Through times of uncertainty, however, setting goals can be easier said than done.

“It may be even more challenging to understand your career priorities and do anything about them, given the continuing uncertainty surrounding our work lives,” executive coach Nihar Chhaya writes in a recent Harvard Business Review article.

To get set goals, Chhaya offers these four tips:

1. Sharpen your long-term career plans. “Instability can be an impetus to strengthen your career dexterity for the long run,” Chhaya notes. “Consider how most people wait to rethink their future until after a crisis, like being laid off or wanting to quit your company due to a toxic workplace.”
2. Uncover who you need to be, not just what you need to do. The pandemic has made people re-evaluate their purpose in life. Your resume most likely focuses on activities and quantifiable results. “To be successful in today’s changing work environment, particularly as a leader who inspires performance, you need to know who you need to ‘be’, not just a list of what you can do,” Chhaya notes.
3. Focus on process, not outcomes. Establish positive career behavior to influence your leadership impact. “The advantage of concentrating on the process of your work and career is that it helps shape your identity as a valued contributor no matter what happens,” mentions Chhaya.
4. Develop learning agility to keep ahead of future change. Learning to adapt and evolve in life toward uncertain changes is part of the agility learning method. Developing it will help you not only stay relevant in your career but outperform in an ever-changing world. Chhaya suggests a simple reflection practice. “End each day with a 10-minute journaling exercise where you ask yourself three questions: Did I experience and show genuine curiosity today? Was I defensive today, holding tightly to my perspectives? Did I learn anything new today or challenge my past beliefs?” he recommends.”