What’s Happening With Your Life Goals?

What do you want to have happen in each of your life dimensions? The process of identifying what you want to happen is called goal-setting. A goal is defined as a "predetermined idea directed toward a desired result." In other words, it's a target. Set your goal first, and don't get caught up in the particulars. How to accomplish it will become clear later. There are four criteria to goal-setting.

1. Goals must be written. Otherwise, they're nothing more than daydreams that float away into nothingness.
   
2. Goals must be specific. The statement "I want a job" is not a goal, it's too vague. "I want a job as an office manager of a 10-person clerical staff in the R&D department of an electronics manufacturing firm" is very specific and far more obtainable. You can see and touch this goal, and it becomes more manageable.
   
3. Goals must be realistic. If you have two years of college under your belt at age 55, it is probably unrealistic to pursue the goal of being a neurosurgeon.
   
   
   
4. Goals must be assigned a date. If you don't commit yourself to a date, you're just opening the door to procrastination.
   

Spend the next 30 to 60 minutes working on your life goals. This may prove difficult because you may be unaccustomed to focusing on yourself and what you want out of life. But the first step in presenting a desirable package to potential employers is knowing who you are and what you want.

Write down a minimum of three goals. Keep telling yourself, "Goals must be written, specific, realistic and assigned a date." You may think you're wasting time by doing this, but you aren't. In fact, it is the single most constructive thing you can do to begin your job search.

Congratulations, you are now one step closer to selecting and succeeding in the right career for you. But setting goals is not enough. To meet them you will probably have to change how you live and spend your time. From this point forward, when you begin any new activity, I want you to ask, "Is this bringing me closer to realizing any of my goals?" If it isn't, stop doing it!

How to Accomplish Your Goals

Even when our goals are specific and realistic they may seem too big. Therefore, after you set your goals, break them down into manageable projects. Then break the projects down into individual activities. Assign each activity to a given day, then do it. Before you know it, your projects will be complete and your goal will be realized.

Easier said than done, you say. Okay, so let's try one example by breaking it down completely from setting the goal to designating projects to arranging activities. Let's say you no longer want to stay in the career field you've been in for the past 20 years. You are clear about that, but you aren't sure what you do want to do. One appropriate goal for you might be: By (specific date) I will have explored five new career paths.

Let's examine this goal in more detail. The first task is to break it down into several projects to clarify what you need to do to accomplish it. Four appropriate projects for this goal might be: (1) Assess your skills, abilities and interests through vocational testing. (2) Determine five careers based on test findings. (3) Conduct primary (talking to those in the industry) and secondary (reading about the industry) research on each of the five careers. And (4) Network with people in those occupations.

Each of these projects may still seem like a big undertaking to you. So let's break each one down even further into specific activities. Your goal now should look not only obtainable and interesting, but easy!

Goal: Explore Five New Career Paths

Goal: Explore Five New Career Paths

PROJECT 1: Assess your skills, abilities and interests through vocational testing

Activity 1: Locate testing sources:

a.    Community colleges

b.    Private firms

c.    Call local chapter of American Society for Training and Development for names of reputable consultants who do vocational testing. Activity 1: Take battery of tests.

PROJECT 2: Determine five careers based on test findings Activity 1: Review and assess test results. Activity 2: Meet with vocational counselor for input. Activity 3: Select five careers.

PROJECT 3: Conduct primary and secondary research on each of the five careers. Activity 1: Identify competent individuals in each career:

a.    Call friends, associates, trade groups to find people to interview

b.    Set up interviews

c.    Conduct interviews

Activity 2: Research industries and occupations:

a.    Locate and read trade magazines

b.    Go to library; use business indexes to find books and articles about industry in business publications

PROJECT 4: Network with people in those occupations. Activity 1: Identify groups and associations that cater to
the five careers. Activity 2: Attend two to three meetings for each career and ask questions about what it means to be.
Setting goals is an ongoing endeavor. Once you meet a specific goal, recognize your achievement and savor the moment - then set a new goal for yourself. Goal-setting is a never-ending process that gives your life direction and purpose.