Personal Goal Setting - 7 Key Steps
BrainTreasure
start setting goals? These are questions you would ask if you are new
to goal setting.
As a career builder you are probably more concerned about career
goals. However, there are other areas of your life that you can set
goals for yourself.
Goals shouldn’t be about career alone. Goals can be set in the area of
attitude, career, education, family, financial, physical and personal/
social. Each of these is interrelated. They are anchored on what you
value and what are your priorities.
Your personal goal setting can be in these areas:
1. Attitude
What are the attitudes and habits that are holding you back from
reaching greater heights? How is this attitude affecting you, your
career and your relationship with your family? Make specific points to
change this attitude that is affecting the way you behave. Your
attitude determines how far you can go in life. Take time to confront
your negative attitude and make a plan to change it. This area of
personal goal setting is one of the most important.
2. Career
In the course of interviewing hundreds of candidates, I am sometimes
surprised at the number of candidates that do not have career goals.
Where do you want to be in 3 years time? Where do you see yourself in
5 years time? How will you get there? What are the skills you need?
What are the potential barriers? As a career builder newbie, you may
not have all the answers. In that case, seek someone you can talk to
or better yet – mentor you.
3. Education
Continuous education is important for success in life. Not just your
career. And education should not be just for the sake of career
promotions although people often do that. You may want to learn new
things that can enrich your life. Learning is a process, a journey –
not a destination. You should never stop learning in order to improve.
4. Family
How much time do you want to spend with your family? What are some of
the things that you have neglected to do for them the past year?
Something that you have always wanted to do for them – perhaps a
holiday? Put these down in writing. It may seem simple but trust me
this is one area where it is challenging for personal goal setting.
Sometimes we misplace our priorities.
5. Financial
How much money do you want to save by when? What would be the big-
ticket items that you would like to buy? A house? A car? How much do
you plan to earn by when? Having a financial goal is crucial in
enjoying the material side of things. Financial rewards are directly
related to our careers. Therefore, they are important in your personal
goal setting.
6. Health – Physical/Mental
If you aren’t healthy physically and mentally, you won’t be able to
enjoy the fruits of your labor. What are the steps you are willing to
take in order to achieve optimum physical and mental health? Do you
plan to run X number of days in a week? Meditate an hour each day?
What are the measurements you would use for the goals in this area?
7. Personal/Social
Allocate time for yourself too. Set a goal to achieve this for
yourself. This is your time for the things you enjoy. Is it getting
together with friends? Or it could be meeting new friends. Some people
measure their success by the amount of free time they have for
themselves to pursue their hobbies.
These are some of the areas you can consider when considering your
personal goal setting. If you are ambitious enough – choose each of
these areas and start writing some goals for these to be achieved for
the year.