Creating Goals to Become Successful
We all have dreams and aspirations of where we want to be in life and what we want to achieve. These often float around in our heads and don’t end up materialising into anything, until we start writing them down. By taking the time to physically jot down your dreams you instantly give yourself a bit of hope that they may turn into something real.
So where are we going with this? You know that dreaded interview question ‘where do you want to be in five years’ time?’ That actually becomes quite easy to answer if you have a plan, and take the time to create your own small goals. Think about what will ultimately make you happy in your career, and the steps you need to take in order to get there.
Benefits of Goal Setting
Rather than thinking about the overarching goal you would like to achieve in five years, break this down into smaller, micro-goals. This will feel a lot less challenging and therefore more achievable. The first step is to think about the current year. What do you hope to achieve in 2022? How does this help put you one step closer to your longer-term goal?
Here are just some of the benefits of setting goals:
- Help to give you a focus
- Provide tangible proof of how you are progressing
- Keep you on track towards the ultimate goal
- Promote sustained momentum
- Affirm self-belief and self-confidence
Just because January has been and gone, it doesn’t mean you are too late to start setting some goals. Rather than opting for the same resolutions you set yourself each year (and have probably already failed at by now!), set yourself some new career-focused goals that will put you on the correct path.
Your Goals Should Be SMART
Now we have written a whole other blog post about SMART goals as there is a lot to know about, but for the purpose of this blog we will keep it short. Here are the basics:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Accurate
R – Realistic
T – Timely
By ensuring your goals are SMART this will help to improve your chances of successfully hitting your milestones. If you are asked about your goals within an interview setting then by making them SMART, this will help to show the interviewer that you mean business!
Staying On Track With Your Goals
You will automatically increase your chances of success by breaking your five year goals into smaller goals. This way, you know you are definitely moving in the right direction. As well as writing your goals down on paper, here are some other steps you can take to ensure you stay on track:
Make an emotional connection to your goal
Career goals often aren’t the most exciting things. By adding an emotional attachment to each goal this will help to keep you stay on track. Try and align your goals with happiness. Remember that each little goal will help you reach your long-term goal of achieving a better future for yourself. Stick to working on one goal at a time to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed with it all too.
Keep a diary of your progress
By having a tangible record you will always be able to look back and see how far you come – you’ll be surprised at just how motivating that is. Keep your diary easily accessible at all times – in your laptop bag or handbag so that you can pull it out whenever you need a little boost. A quick reminder of why you are working towards these goals will give you the motivation you need to keep going. Accountability is incredibly important when it comes to improving your skills.
Celebrate the small milestones
Even the smallest of wins should be celebrated. Otherwise you will wonder why on earth you are bothering to work towards these goals! It is so easy to get into the habit of ticking one goal off once complete and moving onto the next one. Remember to give yourself a break in between and regroup on just how far you have come. Also, by having a mini celebration after each goal it will give you something to look forward to while you are working hard.
Connect with other like-minded people
By having the right people around you, you are much more likely to stay on track with your goals. Being in touch with those who are going through the same thing will give you so much extra support. If either of you are struggling you can get through the challenges together, but equally you can celebrate the milestones with each other too. Helping you both stay on track through the good and bad times.
Remember you don’t have to do it alone
Goal setting can often feel like quite a lonely task. But you need to remember you are not alone and you should reach out for help if you need it. Think about people within your life at the moment, is there anyone you could lean on as a mentor? Or is your employer someone you could ask for extra help and encouragement if you need it?
We hope this blog has helped to give you some inspiration on creating your long-term goals, and as always we would love to hear how you stay on track to become successful too. Feel free to drop us an email at training@brooksandkirk.co.uk for your chance to be featured in the blog.