New Year, New Goals
Start your year off right by setting SMART goals
Happy New Year! The start of a new year is the perfect time for new beginnings. If you're like me, you vowed to make a few changes in your life as you counted down to 2011. Unfortunately most of those New Year's resolutions will be forgotten by March.
But this year can be different. This year you can turn your resolutions into results. If you're serious about making changes in your life you need to start by setting goals: concrete, measurable goals.
The first step is to decide on your main objective or long-term goal. It's essential to be specific. Generalizations like "I will lose some weight” or "I will go back to school" don't work. Goals need to be specific statements of what you intend to do. For example, "I will lose 10 pounds in two months" or "I will go back to school this fall.” Once you have established your goals, you can create a plan to achieve them.
Develop Your Plan
Let's get more specific. If your goal is to find a new job, networking should be part of your plan. But, "do more networking" is too vague to be a goal. There are too many variables. You need to ask yourself questions like: How can I expand my network? Who should I meet? How will I measure my success?
After answering these questions you may establish a long-term goal of increasing your contacts by 20% or connecting with ten people in your field over the next six months. Some of the activities you choose are building your contacts on Linkedin, using Twitter and attending local networking events.
Now you're on the right track. But how will you measure your success? Your short-term goals could include reaching out to five people a week through Linkedin, following the #hirefriday stream on Twitter every Friday and attending three networking events each month. Now you have three activities that are easily measured.
While you can jump on the social media bandwagon from the comfort of your home, finding local events can be a little trickier. Start by asking friends and acquaintances. Next try searching for organizations in your field or a field you're interested in. Most national organizations have links to local chapters. Another good resource is the business calendars in local newspapers, particularly those with a business slant.
Going Forward
What do you want to achieve this year? Be specific. Start by developing a statement of intent for each objective. These are your long-term goals. Next create short-term goals to help you reach each long-term objective. Short-term goals serve as stepping-stones. They will lead you where you want to go.
The start of a New Year is the perfect time to create your long-term goals. To increase your chances of success write them down. Review and revise your daily activities periodically. If something's not moving you in the right direction modify it.
Change isn't easy. It takes commitment and a lot of hard work. Remember: The only place where success comes before work is a dictionary –Vidal Sassoon.
Additional Reading
- Get What You Want with Goals
- S.M.A.R.T. Goals Workshop
- Setting Effective Goals
- Goal Tending
- Using S.M.A.R.T Goals for a Job Search
- S.M.A.R.T. Goals
- Stop Dreaming & Start Doing, SMART Goals Are Your Key To Success
About the Author
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Annette Richmond, MA is Founder and CEO of career-intelligence.com. Having changed careers several times, including working as a career coach, she has a unique perspective on career management. When starting career-intelligence.com 10 years ago, her goal was to provide a one-stop online career resource. In addition to running career-intelligence.com, Annette and her partner are launching Career Strategies Conference in May 2012. Visit the conference site for more information. |
