If you’ve had a busy year at work enhancing your skillset, putting new initiatives in place or just trying to keep up with your day-to-day workload, you might not have had time to think about your career goals.

Now – right now – is a great time to start planning and goal setting for 2019. As in, go get your pen and paper or open your notepad on your mobile device (however you prefer to take down important notes) and start thinking about the year ahead.

Maybe you’re not sure where you’re heading next year in your career; possibly, you’re as happy as a clam. Or, you desire to zero in on a certain project or business goal. Whatever your personal outcome, a little forethought never hurts.

As the new year gets underway, we’ll all have less time for planning. Take a few moments now to reflect on your career goals. Oh, and make sure you follow up on them in 2019!

An Inc.com article offers tips on how to approach this task, including setting SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound), as well as sharing your goals with someone else, which increases the likelihood that you’ll accomplish those goals.

Here are a few other tips:

Ask for tough feedback.

At HubSpot, we love to quote author and management expert Ken Blanchard’s famous saying that “feedback is the breakfast of champions.” People tend to start the year fresh without reflecting on feedback on how they can improve.

Rather than starting with a blank slate for 2019, I take time to reflect on how I’ve grown from the feedback I’ve been given over the past year — doing so helps ensure that I’m thoughtful of the feedback others have given me throughout the year, and mindful of how I can use that to improve.

Similarly, I try to wrap up the year strong with feedback to my team. If you have constructive feedback to share with your colleagues or team, don’t wait until next year to share it.

Take advantage of the holidays.

The holidays are a time for family, fun, and most importantly, relaxation. Once the craziness of those holiday parties and family gatherings has died down, make sure you take the time to relax, recharge, and unplug. Rest and reset your mind so you can better focus on those 2019 goals when you get back to the office on January 2.

Flex your confidence.

To achieve your goals, you have to have the confidence to go after them. And, confidence is built on accomplishment. The more sub-goals you achieve, the better you’ll feel about your progress and ability to reach those five-year plans.

Don’t be afraid to take risks, stand up for yourself, and challenge the status quo.

Don’t be afraid to fail. In fact, celebrate your failures. Because without failure, you won’t find success. So go out there, take action on your goals, and make 2019 your best year yet.

Charlee Beasor is the communications & PR manager for the Indiana Chamber. She is also a writer for the Chamber’s award-winning BizVoice magazine and has been with the organization for eight years.