What are your goals for your job? Most likely, you want to move up, get paid more, and have greater responsibilities. Or perhaps you want to get out of your current job and find one that’s more rewarding.
Whichever goal you have, you can meet it with some positive thinking and a sound strategy. You can also use those same techniques to meet goals your boss has set for you.
When you set your own goal, you’re more likely to achieve it. However, even if your boss has given you a particular goal to meet, avoid looking upon it as a chore. See it as an opportunity, instead. Meeting that goal might impress your boss, but more importantly, it’ll show you just how much you’re capable of accomplishing.
Meeting Goals You've Set For Yourself
Setting lofty job goals is a great thing. It’s important that you don’t just languish in a job you really don’t like, doing work you aren’t happy with. You need a job you can enjoy and do well in. If your job doesn’t meet those parameters, it’s time to set goals toward getting a new or better job.
If your goal is to get ahead in your current position, or even change places entirely, there are several things you can do, including:
- Going back to school to acquire new skills and education
- Networking with others in your field
- Talking to your boss about what you need to do to move forward
- Getting a mentor or other employee to work with or observe
Avoid giving up on your goals and dreams. Even if others doubt you, or they don’t understand why your goals are so important to you, stay focused! Your goals add value to your life and give you a sense of accomplishment.
Meeting Goals Others Have Set For You
When your boss sets a goal for you, it could easily mean he sees great things in your future and wants to push you to greater heights. Take that goal as a serious opportunity to show your boss what you can do. It’s not a punishment. It’s a chance at more!
Make sure you’re clear on the goal you’ve been assigned:
- What, exactly, is required of you?
- Are there any preparatory steps, such as further education, required?
- When is the deadline for meeting the goal?
- Are there mini-deadlines for portions of the project you can assign to yourself?
If anything is unclear, ask before you get started. That’s good business sense, and it shows initiative. When you take your goals seriously, others will notice.
Realizing What's Important
Goals matter, whether you’ve set them or whether someone else has created them for you. However, some goals are much more significant than others, and you’ll want to keep that in mind. If you’re looking for another job but your current boss has already set a goal for you to meet, you may find yourself juggling both for a little while.
It doesn’t have to be stressful. Staying focused on your goals and ensuring that you meet them is something you can plan in detail. Breaking your objective into smaller steps can help you ease the stress.
Smaller steps help your positive outlook, too, because you’ll reach a realistic goal faster than an unattainable one. As you achieve your smaller milestones, you’ll notice that your bigger goals will come into focus and they’ll seem more attainable than ever before!
Your job goals are some of the most important objectives you’ll set and attain, because they help stabilize both your present and future. It’s true from a financial standpoint, but your job carries over into so many other aspects of your life, as well.
Take the time to really think through your job goals, and then draw up your plans to meet them. When you have your plans in hand, stay focused on success!