A goal is where you want to reach by the end of your tedious journey called life. The goal could be a long-term goal, like to become a Vice President of HR Department or a short-term goal, like a family vacation to Disneyland. The practice of planning and defining your goal will help you to live a more focused and directed life. So let’s see some simple steps of how to be your own ‘goal’ keeper?
At work, goal setting and planning is usually left up to the Management whose major job responsibility entails just this. These large goals then distill down into smaller actionable goals that are communicated to us for execution. This is how organizations function. But this also applies to us as individuals. Every individual must have a goal, a personal and/or professional goal in life. Without these goals, you will be lost and aimlessly living your life. Goal determines response and results. Hence, goal setting and planning is extremely important. This article is going to focus on how to successfully set a goal for yourself and adhere to achieving it.
Steps for Goal Setting:
Step One: Write down your specific Goal
Determining the results that you want to achieve at the end of the road, is what will help you determine the ultimate goal you will set for yourself. You will have to look far in the future, be realistic about your expectations and most importantly, your goal has to match your caliber. Most people set goals that are unrealistic and unachievable. Hence, consider your resources, personality, and skills that you have and set the goals accordingly. Write down your goal and make it as specific as possible. Then break them down into smaller achievable goals to be achieved over a period of time. Example: To become a Vice President of Human Resources.
Step Two: a SMART way to design your Goal:
SMART is the most commonly used tool for goal setting.
S = Specific: The goal should be clearly defined and fixed.
M = Measurable: The goal should be quantifiable and be able to be measured.
A = Attainable: The goal should be realistic and within the reach of being achieved.
T = Time-bound: The goal must be achieved within a stipulated time.
Step Three: Have a time frame to achieve the Goal:
This is an important step. Determining the specific time-limit within which you want to achieve your goal can be tricky. If you are too lenient with the time limit, then you may become lethargic or weary to achieve it. On the other hand, having too aggressive deadlines can put unnecessary pressure on you, leading to wrong decisions or turns. So make sure your goal is realistically timed. This helps to further break down your smaller goals to be achieved each year. Example: To become a Vice President of Human Resources in 10 years.
Step Four: Make an action plan for your Goal:
All talk and no action will lead you nowhere. A goal looks lovely on paper but we need to start breaking them down into actionable tasks that we can achieve daily. If I want to become a Vice President in 10 years, then I must ensure that my promotions take place accordingly, along with the increase in my job responsibilities. If I am stuck in a role for too long, I must discuss my growth with my Manager or look outside the company for the desired learning and growth. We need to keep revisiting our action plans, alter and amend them as the years go by. We need to take action when we hit a roadblock too.
Step Five: Assess the price you are willing to pay to achieve your Goal:
The journey to achieve a goal is hard and calls for many sacrifices. It may mean putting in the extra time after work to develop a skill, working on weekends if necessary or sacrificing your family life for a while, until you have reached a certain place, closer to achieving your goal. While these sacrifices are hard, they give you a sense of purpose, a sense of direction and an enthusiasm to push forward to achieve what you have set forth before you.
We all have dreams, hopes, aspirations, and goals. These are our compass in life. The personal goals, family goals or professional goals, each in its own place are important and needed to live a life with direction, purpose and ironically a GOAL. What sets us apart from those who are successful or living a purpose-driven life, is that they have their goals written down and an action plan ready to achieve it.
Most of us do not have a goal in mind, and you may think it is too late for me. Let me encourage you by saying, it’s never too late. Just let your goals be realistic, achievable and one that makes you happy and not what the world expects. So if today, you don’t have a goal towards which you working, then go find a notebook, lock yourself in a room alone and start scribbling. I assure you you will leave that room as a woman with a plan.
You may also want to read other article written by the same author ‘Career tracking while on a career break‘, ‘Career restarting for a woman on a career break‘, ‘Is returnship right for you?‘, ‘Five things to consider before a career break‘, ‘5 reasons why working moms are highly productive‘, ‘4 Questions to know yourself better and find a suitable career path‘, ‘5 most frequent challenges that women entrepreneurs face‘ , ‘Financially Stable and how?’ , ‘Be aware of your emotions and its effects on you‘ .
About the author:
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
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Disclaimer:
“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.”
