True or false: setting career goals is a greater challenge than planning a vacation? While different by nature, these activities share common elements like choosing a location and making travel arrangements to get there. However, it is a misnomer to think setting goals for personal advancement has to be more complicated than planning a vacation.
By identifying your ideal destination and planning short-term steps to get there, you can secure your dream career.
Choose Your Destination: Set Long-Term Goals
In order to craft your career plan, it is best to work in reverse.
- First, picture the long-term goal.
- Next, figure out the short-term steps that can get you there.
Why work backwards? Like the popular adage goes, “Start with the end in mind.” It is troublesome to use a map without first knowing where you are going.
Long-term goals are often seen as big endeavours. They will take time, energy and effort to accomplish. Examples of long-term goals might be:
- Getting promoted within your company
- Owning your own business
- Earning a master’s degree
- Writing a book
Long-term goals are most powerful when aligned with personal hopes and convictions. Working towards a long-term objective can colour your life with purpose and quickly build up your self-confidence.
Where do you want to be in five years? Summarize your heart’s desire in a simple mission statement by remaining specific and realistic.
Know How to Get There: Set SMART Short-Term Goals
To stay focused on this big goal, it is wise to set attainable, smaller goals related to your long-term career objective. Bit by bit, slowly but surely these little steps add up and create a tangible reality for you to take pride in. Plan to achieve your short-term goals in the near future, maybe within a day, week, month, or a few months at most.
What are your short-term goals? Write them down in an achievable sequence. Arranging them on a calendar may help with this. Keep in mind that the most effective short-term goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Remember, your short-term targets should support your long-term goals. For instance, if your goal is to become known and connected within your career industry, here are examples of short-term goals you may want to apply.
- Join professional groups and associations.
- Make presentations at these meetings to display your expertise in the industry.
- Become proficient in using social media.
Stay Focused: One Step at a Time
We all know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Similarly, Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu famously said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
To stay focused on a long-term goal, you may want to set specific, attainable steps that will take you to your destination. Envisioning where you want to go and establishing short-term objectives to get there will lead you to professional success and personal satisfaction.
How do you plan to attain your career goals?
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