If You Did Nothing Different Next Year

As the year draws to a close, it is natural to think about fresh starts, new goals, and what the next chapter might look like professionally. Before setting resolutions or making plans, there is one simple question worth pausing on.

If you did nothing different next year, where would your career be this time next December?

For many people, the answer is familiar. The same role, the same workload, and the same level of exposure to clients, leadership, and progression. For some, that brings a sense of stability and reassurance. For others, it quietly highlights that things may have stopped moving forward.

In Accountancy, Finance and Tax, it is easy to confuse momentum with progress. Deadlines continue, responsibilities grow, and another year passes quickly. Staying busy can feel productive, but it does not always mean you are moving closer to what you actually want from your career.

When candidates take the time to reflect, a common theme emerges. They often do not dislike their role. Instead, they realise that progression has slowed, learning has plateaued, or their priorities have shifted. That might mean wanting greater responsibility, better balance, broader experience, or simply recognition that reflects their contribution.

As the New Year approaches, there can be pressure to act quickly. In reality, the most effective career decisions are rarely rushed. They start with clarity. Understanding your current position, what staying put genuinely offers, and what alternatives exist puts you in a far stronger position, whether you decide to move or not.

Doing something different does not have to mean handing in your notice. It might mean having a confidential conversation, benchmarking your market value, or sense checking whether your current path still aligns with your long term goals.

If the thought of another year looking exactly the same gives you pause, that reaction is worth paying attention to.

At Downey Osborne, we work with Accountancy, Finance and Tax professionals across Northern Ireland and Ireland who want to make considered, informed decisions about their careers. Sometimes that leads to a change. Sometimes it brings renewed confidence in staying where they are. Both are positive outcomes when the decision is intentional.

As you look ahead to the New Year, the most important step may simply be asking the question and giving yourself the space to explore the answer.