New year, new you, right? With the dawn of 2018, January is ripe for setting goals that you want to accomplish by the year’s end. But what makes a good goal and how do you reach them?
Be SMART! Goals should be smart. As in S.M.A.R.T., which stands for a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time- bound. Sounds simple, but is it? It can be if you focus on exactly what you want to achieve, hence where the specific comes in. Making the goal measurable will let you know when you have achieved the goal you have set for yourself. You want to set goals that are achievable in your time frame and that are important to you. Accomplishing a goal will make you more likely to set another to take its place. Want to dive into SMART goals? Check out this link.
Write it down. After you’ve done the work to craft your goal (or goals), the next step is to write it down. Committing to it on a sheet of paper, helps you stay focused on what you want.
Sharing is caring. Care enough about your goal and share it with others. This helps keep you accountable and headed in the right direction.
Set a system. Another way to approach making improvements is to commit to a particular process, instead of creating goals. Some, like this author, argue that committing to a goal leads to unhappiness with what you currently have. Instead, try committing to a process or a system that will lead to a change in the long run. This way you have set yourself up for success along the way to improvement.
Create a plan of attack. Just simply stating something, unfortunately doesn’t make it come true. Although it can be helpful to put something out into the universe, you need to devise a way that you are going to get there whether it’s a system or another type of plan – do what works for you.
Pop the bubbly. It’s important to celebrate your successes to keep you motivated to create a new goal to take its place. Your celebration can be a simple reward, like treating yourself to a coffee or a great dinner. Or maybe just an hour by yourself to relax and reflect on a job well done.
What are your goals in 2018? Let’s TGHR know if they include a career change, we’re ready to help!