Your manager is not responsible for your career. You are. They are responsible for your output. So waiting until annual review time to determine your goals and accomplishments is not the best idea.

Here are 10 things you can do today to improve your career.

1. Set Small Goals Regularly                                 

When it comes to annual reviews, there is so much focus on goals for the year. A year is a long time—too long in fact to set tangible, achievable goals. Therefore, it is far wiser to set smaller goals throughout the year.

Think about your day-to-day work. What could you be doing to elevate that work? Are there skills you could learn to help you advance? Think about this for a bit and then make a list of goals that relate to these items. And then, once you've set the goals, give yourself a deadline to have learned these things.

When you've hit the deadline, give yourself a grade. Seriously. It works. Did you do it? Did you do it well? Then ask someone else how they would score or grade you on these new skills. Then rinse and repeat.

2. Stretch Yourself 

The smartest of us say that success is just outside of our comfort zone. So it goes without saying that you must stretch beyond your area of expertise.

Do something that scares you. Don't like public speaking? Start signing up for presentations at work or networking events. Does it terrify you to put your industry thoughts out there? Ask someone for the opportunity to guest post.

Whatever gives you the collywobbles, sign up for it—today.

3. Get Feedback                                

While self-assessment is important, it is also important to get feedback. And it is important to get feedback all the time.

For example, at the end of each and every meeting I lead, I ask the following questions:

• "What really worked for you?"
• "What would make it even better if?"

You can learn a lot from these two questions. So much about your work product and performance can be gleaned from these two questions. Give it a try and see what you learn.

4. Curate Your Work                                 

Do you have any idea how many amazing things you've done this year? Probably not, because you aren't curating that great work anywhere to revisit it.There are countless places for you to store this work in a cloud. When you've got a great portfolio of work you've produced and are proud of, it's like writing your resume as you go.It is also easy to share with your manager at review time. You're better prepared to wow them when you've got yourself visual proof of your awesomeness.

5. Be Curious About Your Industry                                 

Spend time each and every week as a student of your industry or company. Study your industry and company as if you'll be tested on them. Ask questions of people in your space. Ask your manager and colleagues questions. Ask your company's customers how they feel.

Develop thoughtful insights about the industry and your company. And don't be shy about sharing those insights.