Power of looking back: why reflecting on your career matters

Opinion

When it comes to our careers, most of us spend an enormous amount of time thinking about what comes next.

We set goals, plan our next move and imagine where we want to be in five years. That forward focus can be energizing, but it also creates a kind of blind spot.

The truth is the world rarely follows the neat roadmap we design. Opportunities appear without warning and, just as quickly, they can vanish. Layoffs, sudden new industries, technological shifts or even a chance conversation with someone on a plane can change everything. In the middle of all that unpredictability, the most useful tool you can carry is not just a plan for the future, but a clear understanding of yourself.

That is where career reflection comes in.

Reflecting on your career is not about dwelling on the past or endlessly second guessing your choices. It is about taking stock of your experiences and clarifying your values so when the road branches, you know which direction feels right. Without that self-knowledge, even the most promising opportunity can leave you spinning, unsure whether to step forward or let it pass by.

Think of it like navigating without a compass. You may be presented with many possible paths, but if you have no sense of what matters most to you, every option feels equally confusing. On the other hand, when you know your own values and strengths, it becomes much easier to sort through those choices. You may not control which doors open or close, but you can decide with some confidence which ones you want to walk through.

So how do you actually reflect on your career in a way that helps?

It begins with pausing long enough to ask yourself some honest questions about what you value and what you are capable of. This is not always easy because so much of our working life is focused outward. We are busy meeting deadlines, responding to clients or managing people. Introspection can feel like a luxury. However, making time for reflection is one of the most practical career skills you can develop.

One place to start is by looking back at the moments in your career that gave you the most energy.

Think of times when you left work feeling satisfied, proud or even joyful. What was happening during those periods? Were you working closely with a team or were you able to dig into a project on your own? Were you building relationships, solving problems or creating something new?

Those high points can reveal patterns about what truly motivates you. For example, someone might realize the times they felt most alive at work were when they were mentoring junior colleagues. That points to a career value around teaching and development. Another might find their best memories come from projects where they had autonomy to design solutions without micromanagement. That suggests independence is a core value.

It is equally valuable to look at the moments that drained you.

We often dismiss those experiences as unfortunate circumstances, but they also offer insight. If a job left you exhausted not because of the workload but because the culture encouraged unhealthy competition, that might tell you collaboration and fairness matter deeply to you. If another role frustrated you because your contributions were invisible, that signals recognition and appreciation are important to your sense of fulfillment. These negative experiences are not just setbacks; they are information that can help you avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Another useful reflection tool is to think about your proudest accomplishments.

What made those achievements meaningful? Perhaps it was not the promotion itself but the fact it allowed you to build a stronger program that served your community. Perhaps it was finishing a challenging project that pushed you to develop new technical skills. The details of those accomplishments point to the underlying values that drove you to succeed.

Some people also find it helpful to ask friends, mentors or trusted colleagues for feedback. Others can often see our strengths more clearly than we do ourselves. A colleague might remind you that you are always the person who brings calm during a crisis, which could highlight a value around stability and leadership. A mentor might notice you light up when you are brainstorming creative solutions, showing innovation is one of your guiding principles.

Once you start to see these patterns, it is important to put them into words. Writing them down can help make them more concrete. You might discover three of your top values are learning, integrity and connection. Someone else might identify growth, creativity and balance. There are no right or wrong answers, but naming your values gives you a filter through which to view opportunities.

Imagine you are offered a new role that comes with a higher salary but demands constant travel. If one of your values is balance and you know family time is essential to you, then you have clarity to say no, even if the offer looks impressive on paper. On the other hand, if one of your values is adventure and exploration, that same opportunity might be perfect.

Without the process of reflection, you could end up making a choice based on what others expect rather than what truly matters to you.

Reflection also helps in situations where opportunities disappear. Suppose a project you were excited about gets cancelled. Instead of seeing it as a failure, you can step back and ask whether the underlying values that attracted you to it can be met elsewhere. If what excited you was the chance to build something new, perhaps you can volunteer for another initiative in your organization. By staying grounded in your values, you can adapt more easily to the unpredictability of the workplace.

Of course, reflection is not a one-time exercise. Just as the world shifts, so do our priorities. What mattered most to you at the start of your career may not be the same thing that drives you now.

Early on, you might have valued learning opportunities above all else. Later, you may find that stability or mentorship of others has taken precedence. Setting aside time to ask yourself what is working and what is not can keep your compass calibrated.

Reflection does not have to be a heavy or formal task. It can be a conversation over coffee with a trusted friend where you talk openly about your career highs and lows. It can even be an afternoon walk where you think about whether your current role still aligns with your core values. The important part is that you pause long enough to listen to yourself.

The world of work will always be unpredictable. Opportunities will appear and disappear, industries will evolve and career paths will twist in unexpected ways. You cannot control all of that, but you can control how well you understand yourself.

By reflecting on your career and clarifying your values, you give yourself the confidence to make choices that feel right for you. Instead of chasing every possibility or clinging to a rigid plan, you can move forward with clarity, knowing that no matter how the landscape shifts, you will be guided by what matters most.

Tory McNally, CPHR, BSc., vice-president, professional services,

is a human resource consultant, radio personality and problem solver. She can be reached at tory@legacybowes.com