As you grow in your career, it’s helpful to develop a list of realistic, achievable and measurable goals to help keep yourself accountable.
Set aside a morning in the next week to develop your own career plan following this process.
Although Henry David Thoreau once said “never look back unless you are planning to go that way,” I believe in the beauty of reflections. Looking back at the past year, celebrate your achievements and ponder your failures. See which goals worked for you and which did not. Learn from your mistakes in the past and visualize a future, defining success in your own terms.
Make sure that goals are possible within the time-frame set by setting up the action items you need to take, and the milestones you need to hit, in order to ensure the goal is met. For example, if you are trying to land a client in a national magazine, focus on securing coverage in local outlets first. Steadily tracking goals in the short term can build towards a greater purpose, one step at a time.
It can’t be all work. all the time. Motivate yourself to grow and become a better person by learning something new, even if it doesn’t seem directly related to your career. Making time for other passions will actually improve your mood and patience for tough days on the job.
In order to step into the next phase, we must make space. Now is a good time to clean out your space, both physically and mentally. Go through your closets and cabinets to filter out those items that have been collecting dust over the years. Clear your head of old irrelevant information and enter the new year with a sense of clarity. Being on top of your organization game will always put you a step ahead of the rest.
Setting goals for yourself can be a daunting task, especially if past resolutions have a tendency to be unmet. With the help of these tips, curate a list of goals that are personalized, measurable and most definitely achievable in the new year.
