Success is a key ingredient to finding fulfillment in life. Goal setting is a key component in all paths of success. And while success can come in many forms, what remains consistent across the board is how your goal setting and life-plans work as one. A plan is especially crucial when it comes to your career goals. After all, the professional world gets more and more competitive every day, and if you want to move forward, you need to know how to map out solid steps to achieve those goals in incremental steps.
According to Ken Sundheim, founder and CEO of KAS Placement, a sales and marketing recruiting firm, in an article for Forbes.com, “achievement and career advancement is the culmination of gaining self will power, setting firm resolutions and making a commitment to conquer your weakness and bad habits.” You can’t just hope to achieve success and you certainly can’t wait for others to hand you opportunities. You need to set a plan and commit to working on that plan every day. And that doesn’t mean your plan should only focus on where you want to be in 10 years or even 20—a great, effective and achievable plan also focuses on short-term goal setting and immediate improvements you can make starting today.
Of course, part of achieving personal success boils down to skills and experience. But experts argue that being successful requires grit, organization and vision as much as it requires talent.
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Angela Duckworth, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Grit, explains, “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” In her research, she found that success and talent do not necessarily go hand in hand. Sure, being talented can help. But her data shows “there are many talented individuals who simply do not follow through on their commitments.”
Bottom line: making a plan for professional success, realistic and achievable goal setting, taking steps to get where you want to go, and believing in yourself along the way can help you achieve a solid plan that works for you.
Here are 7 ways to help you plot out your plan for your career which ultimately, will help you in all areas of your life.
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Create Short-Term List of Goals
Sometimes it can seem overwhelming and even impossible to achieve professional success if you’re looking 20 years down the road. There’s so much that has to happen to get there, so many other people who might be equally or more qualified, and so much that could stand in your way. Don’t think that way, or you’ll set yourself up to fail. Instead focus on a shorter-term objectives; what do you want to learn in the next few years? Are you happy with your current job or is this a stepping-stone to get your getting somewhere you really want to be? Think of goals that are more realistically achievable during the next two to three years of your life. Write them down and begin strategizing how to achieve them, starting from the top of your short-term list.