The word ‘goal’ is no longer a word you see for a few weeks in January when we’re all discussing New Years Resolutions and reflecting on what we’d like to achieve in the year ahead. Goals are here to stay. Whether it be a key part of our appraisal forms, coaching and mentoring sessions, or even Steven Bartlett’s IG stories, goals and goal setting are now featuring as part of our everyday conversations more than ever. So, what makes them that important?
In a nutshell, goal setting can help you achieve anything that you put your mind to. We’ve all been kept up late at night by our unwelcome mind gremlins going to town on our supposed career ‘failures’ however, achieving your own version of success can seem nigh on impossible when you don’t know where to begin, or what you need to do to get there. Goal setting can help you clearly identify where you want to be, and exactly how you’re going to get there, whilst removing those common feelings of overwhelm and uncertainty along the way.
Goal setting will help you to supercharge your growth and success at work, whether it be new skills that you want to learn, achieving a career change, or nailing your next promotion. Over the last few years, it’s also become more important than ever for our role to give us a sense of purpose and fulfilment, whilst aligning with our values. Goal setting has you covered there too! It’s a process that is all about you; it allows you to fully take control and own your career.
Reading this and feeling like you need a hand with goal setting? Here are my 5 top tips!
1. Write Goals Down
Research has proven that you’re significantly more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down and put a date to them. Take this as your sign to treat yourself to a new journal and spend some time in a comfortable and calm environment committing them to paper. Coffee and cake are handy optional extras to make this process even more enjoyable!
2. Get SMART
SMART isn’t something new however, its proven to be incredibly effective. Think of it as your one stop shop to evaluate and refine your goals. Are they specific (S), measurable (M), achievable (A) realistic (R) and timebound (T)?
3. Positive vibes only
Let’s keep goals positive and all about what you do want. ‘I will be promoted on 31st October’ is so much more positive and powerful than ‘I don’t want to end this year without a promotion’. Try saying your goal out loud? How does it make you feel?
4. Do this for YOU
A gentle reminder that trying to achieve career success for the sake of your family, partner, colleagues, or societal pressures will never bring out the best in you. Give yourself permission to pursue your own goals and dreams.
5. Feel the Stretch
Achieving the goal that you’re working towards shouldn’t feel like a walk in the park, but it shouldn’t spark a sense of blind panic that brings you out in a cold sweat every time you think of it either. Think of your goal like a good yoga stretch. It can be uncomfortable, but you feel so good for doing it!
Finally… a little note on confidence
Feeling like you lack confidence? I hear you. If your goal involves you wanting to build confidence, get super clear about what increased confidence would give you. ‘Confident….at what?’ is a great starter question to ask yourself.
Investing time and energy in nailing goal setting will ensure that it can become your go to exercise when you have both specific objectives and big dreams that you want to achieve throughout your career. It’s a process that evolves with you, and your career growth. Get ready to see that anything you put your mind to is possible and feel a kickass sense of empowerment along the way; you’ve got this!
*End of article*
Bio
Camilla is a qualified Career Coach, with over 13 years of experience as an urban designer and masterplanner. As a Career Coach, Camilla is passionate about empowering professional women to succeed and ‘own’ their careers. Using her years of corporate experience to support clients, she specialises in career change, career progression, and key skills development.
Camilla regularly shares career insight and experience on her Instagram account @camilladeburghecoaching
More information on career coaching, along with how you can work with Camilla is on her website: www.camilladeburghe.co.uk. You can contact her directly via IG DM or hellocdbcoaching@gmail.com
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