As 2022 comes to a close it is a great time to take inventory of our accomplishments and look ahead to next year! As the new year approaches, whether you are in your first ever job, or working to make the leap to a new industry, these tips will help you get set up for even bigger professional strides in the coming year.
1.) Set both long-term and short-term goals
It is important to have “reach goals” that will take a while to complete. These will help project a sense of anticipation and accountability throughout the time it takes to accomplish them. These long-term goals could be goals that take 1-5 years to accomplish. Short-term goals typically take less than a year to accomplish. Short-term goals help give milestones to celebrate and demonstrate you are on the right track to accomplishing those longer-term goals.
Some examples of long-term goals are: To implement a new marketing strategy in your company, with a timeline and deliverables structured into the strategy, or to complete a major project, with deadlines and milestones attached to the project plan.
Some examples of short terms goals are: Facilitate better feedback over the course of a quarter, make a certain number of sales this month, or have one meaningful networking lunch a month.
2.) Make goals that are both measurable and abstract
It is helpful to be able to see progress by tracking goals through measurable data. For example, if your goal is to complete a course you will be able to track how much of the curriculum you complete. In addition, having a vision and feeling to focus on is just as important. Hand-in-hand with completing the course your goals could be to feel confident in the course material. Taking note in the degree of confidence you have will also push you forward towards this goal.
3.) Ask someone to hold you accountable
The best way to make a goal happen is to tell others about it. Once you speak it into the world, you will likely feel a bit more pressure to complete it. It is important to share your goals with people who are safe and encouraging, so the pressure is positive and not anxiety inducing. Consider asking a coworker or manager to hold you accountable to your goals this year and schedule regular check-ins on the goals progress.
4.) Make a vision board
Another great way to make your goals happen is to see them every day. Making a vision board that you keep in your office is a great strategy to encourage yourself to work toward the achieving your goal. This could be as easy as googling images that inspire you and pasting them on a piece of cardboard from the recycle bin! You could also create an online Pinterest board or go as far as to put images and affirmations on a bulletin board – the options are limitless!
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