Why is goal setting important?
Goals provide direction, give you a level of control over your future and will help you to define what success looks like for you. Goals are great for providing motivation. If you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, you’ll be far more likely to stay focused and on track.
How to set a goal
Before you can revel in the satisfaction of achieving your professional and personal goals; you must learn how to set them. When setting a goal, you should consider a few key points.
What are you passionate about?
What does your future look like?
Are your goals career, academic, monetary, health or relationship focused?
Your goals should spark excitement, but they should also be challenging. Be sure to tailor your goals to suit your strengths and passions. This will help to ensure they’re achievable and satisfying.
Let’s take a look at how you can easily set goals with a structured framework.
Setting goals using the SMART framework
The SMART goals framework was established as a tool to assist with creating a criteria that would improve the chances of achieving goals.
What do the acronyms stand for?
S – Specific
Goals should be specific to what you want to achieve. It should answer the six W’s – Who, What, When, Where, Which and Why.
M – Measurable
You need to determine a way in which you can measure the success of your goals.
A – Attainable
Think about how you will achieve each goal and if you have the skills needed to do so. If you need to upskill, you should decide where you need to improve in order to make the goal attainable.
R- Relative
Does your goal make sense in the broader scheme of things? Any smaller goals you set should be relevant to your overarching life and career goals.
T – Time-bound
Give yourself a realistic timeframe to achieve your goals. If your timeframe is realistic, you’ll have a far greater chance of success. A timeline is also a great way to keep you accountable.
Additional tips
- Be both positive and realistic when setting your goals.
- Prioritise your goals and decide what order they need to be achieved in. This will keep things in order and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by what needs to be done.
- If you have a professional mentor, seek their input when setting your goals.
- Write your goals down, this will help to solidify them and you can return to them when seeking motivation.
- Add your goals to a broader personal development plan that also outlines your strengths and weaknesses.
- Use your strengths, weaknesses and personal performance to guide your goal setting. This allows you to be in control.
When you achieve a goal, remember to take time to celebrate the win and enjoy the satisfaction. Reflect on your experience of working towards a goal and ask yourself questions about the journey.
Was it too easy to achieve?
Did the goal take longer to achieve than first perceived?
Has the outcome of this goal affected other goals in the pipeline?
These reflections will be a useful tool when setting future goals.
Set some time aside for goal setting and decide what the future looks like for you. If you’ve set your career goals and a formal qualification is required to make them attainable, get in touch with the Skills Certified Australia team today. We’ll discuss your goals to determine the best path forward.
