Reach Those Goals in 2022

If you created goals for 2022, write and post them where you will see them daily. Goals that are out of sight are also out of mind, making them inactive. Keeping track of your progress toward goals will help you attain them. Make sure to personalize your goals—you are the only one who can achieve them. Do not reply on others to fulfill your goals. For example, your goal can be to write a novel and submit it to a traditional publisher, but it cannot be to have the traditional publisher publish the novel. That would be relying on someone else to fulfill your goal, something on which you cannot depend. In addition, make sure your goals are ones that you want for yourself, and no one is forcing the goal on you. To increase your chances of reaching your goals, do the following: • Rank your goals in order of importance to you. • Focus your energy on attaining your goals and fully commit to reaching them. • Develop a step-by-step plan for reaching your goals. If you are not sure what steps to take, seek help from others and/or emulate people who have attained such a goal. • Visualize reaching your goals. Many athletes and successful people “see” themselves becoming winners. • Reward yourself when you reach a goal. What goals will you set for yourself? More on creating an action plan in the next blog.

Polish That Resume - Meet Employer Needs

With the current unemployment rate, now might be a good time to dust off the resume and re-circulate it. Whether you are looking for a new job or hoping to snag a better one, you need to be able to bring value to the company in order to be considered for an interview. Take a good look at your skills.  Where do your strengths lie?  What training and experience do you have to offer?  Should you consider obtaining more education or training? Think about your employment history.  Have you included all tasks you have completed that bring out your best talents and abilities?  Did you receive any special recognition or awards?  Were you promoted?  How was your attendance and punctuality?  Were you a team player?  Can you work with little or no supervision? Match yourself to the job.  What is the company you are applying to looking for in a job candidate?  Do your attributes align with the company's needs?  Does your resume reflect how you can be an asset to the company? Concentrate your search where your skills match the employer's needs. Where will you begin your job search?

Focus on Those Goals

I have blogged extensively on goals and goal setting. We can set all the goals we want, but if we do not do something to achieve them, they become worthless. One of the main ways of attaining goals is to focus on their outcome. By focusing, we can see where we want to go and what we need to do to get there. Here are some tips on achieving focus:

· Minimize external distractions as much as possible
· Turn off negative thoughts—recite positive, motivational affirmations
· Find successful role models and imitate them
· Commit, commit, commit—do whatever it takes to reach a goal
· Schedule time to work on your goals—discipline yourself
· Keep up the forward momentum
· Take risks
· Face challenges and setbacks head-on
· Change your approach if it doesn’t work
· Visualize success
· Create a poster board of what your success will look like 

What can you do today to focus on your goals?

Set Goals to Achieve Success

Whether you are searching for a job or hoping to advance in your current position, set goals. To increase your success, make sure your goals are:

·         Specific – What exactly do you want to achieve? Be as precise as possible when stating your goal.
·         Measurable – How will you know when you have reached your goal?
·         Achievable – Is it possible for you to reach this goal? Your goal must be attainable, or you will set yourself up for failure.
·         Realistic – Can you reasonably achieve your goal? Assess your skills, abilities, and circumstances. Be honest with yourself.
·         Timely – What is the specific date by which you hope to attain your goal? Set a time limit.

Once you establish your goals, keep in mind they are not set in stone. Goals should be reviewed and tweaked as needed. Sometimes we outgrow the goal and need to set a new one.

What goals are you setting for yourself?

It’s a Stressful Time—Take Care

During these unsettling times, it is important to take care of yourself and your loved ones as best you can.

·         Take care not to let little aggravations overshadow what’s truly important.
·         Take care to count the things that are going right in your life rather than those going wrong.
·         Take care not to take on too much, especially with all the extra time extended during this crisis. Don’t wait until you feel yourself getting stressed or are overwhelmed before you take a break.
·         Take care to enjoy the interruption in the same old routine by doing something you enjoy like reading, meditating, baking cookies, enjoying family time, and the like.
·         Take care to use extra patience since people are under more pressure and stress at this vulnerable time. Kind words often work wonders in trying situations.
·         Take care of old negative business—mend relationships, forgive grudges, forget about unattained goals, and forgive yourself for personal failings.

What are you doing to take care of yourself?

Hold Yourself Accountable in the Workplace

Your boss and your company will hold you accountable for your workplace behavior and accomplishments. Go one better and hold yourself accountable.

• Perform your tasks to the best of your ability, completing them in a timely manner.
• Maintain a positive attitude daily.
• Adhere to a strict code of personal behavior.
• Keep skills up to date and learn new ones as required.
• Become an expert in your field.
• Use good judgment.
• Speak kindly and tactfully.

Taking responsibility for your actions and words will preserve your value to the boss and company. How will you hold yourself accountable?

Career Advancement

To advance in your career, demonstrate your value to your employer and those around you. Be highly visible and take charge of situations when warranted. Continuously challenge yourself and members of your team. Act like management material by following these guidelines:

• Take advantage of every available opportunity to learn and grow.
• Establish behaviors that stand out positively in the minds of supervisors.
• Develop excellent critical thinking skills.
• Be a self-directed worker who performs duties with proficiency.
• Act professionally at all times and display integrity and ethical behavior.
• Take on extra responsibilities and help others.
• Become an expert in your field.
• Participate in lifelong learning to keep your expertise up to date.

Take a long, hard look at your personal qualities and adjust your strategies to align yourself closer to the way management-level people behave. With an inner drive and a determination to achieve, you can position yourself to rise to a higher level. What steps will you take to advance in your career?