Take Action By Making Changes As Needed

Snow, snow, and more snow. This week we have been pummeled by record-breaking snowfalls. It threw everything off schedule and shut down schools and businesses. It has also reminded me how easy it is to get off track with respect to our goals. Sometimes we need to be flexible enough to change course or adjust in some way when striving to reach our goals.

• Be Flexible. If you have not taken appropriate steps toward reaching your goal, don’t waste time worrying about it. Get back on track by taking a small step immediately. Do something—anything—that will move you closer. Re-examine your action plan to see if it still fits your present needs and abilities. For example, you may need to skip a step or two for the time being or else backtrack and redo a step you have completed.
• Change Course. When life throws you the kind of curve that thwarts your plans to pursue your goals, look for an alternative path. For instance, if you are looking for a job and the perfect interview did not produce results, evaluate what went wrong. Is there something more you could have done? Can you change something about your resume or your interview presentation? If so, change what needs to be changed, and begin again with your job search. Always be on the lookout for a better way of doing things.

Take Action and Reach Your Goals

Here are two more ideas to get you to take action on your goals:

• Utilize Your To-do List. Copy one of the steps from your action plan to your daily to-do list. For example, is there one thing you can do today to bring yourself closer to your goal(s)? Write it down on your to-do list. Then, make it a priority for the day. Take the step—move closer to your goal. Each day, add a new step to your to-do list that will move you toward your goal. Without taking some kind of consistent action, reaching your goal will be difficult. Many people write down their goals and create an action plan, but they fail to take action on them.
• Use Affirmations. Another way to increase the likelihood that you will take action is to repeat positive affirmations to yourself regarding your goal. For instance, if your goal is to garner a promotion, you might use these affirmations: I am learning and growing in my career. I am becoming more skilled in my area of expertise. I am making strides toward a management-level job. I am finding an appropriate mentor to help me reach my management goals. I am emulating people in management that I hope to join in a position someday.

Put goal steps on your to-do list and find personal affirmations that will work for you.

Take Action on Your Goals - Find a Mentor to Ensure Career Success

The next couple of blogs will address ways to take action on your goals. If possible, find a mentor who is willing to teach you what you need to know to attain your goal(s). This mentor should be someone who has the character traits you admire and who is in a position you aspire to hold or is doing what you hope to do. He or she should give you straightforward information and honest, positive critiques. You don’t want someone who says, “Yes, you are wonderful,” without providing proper guidance and criticism that will mold you into the person you hope to be.

How do you find a mentor?

• Network, network, network. You have to put yourself out there and ask for help. Most people are willing to help others.
• Join groups and seek successful members.
• Observe others in the workplace. Who would be the best person from which to learn?
• Take a class, get a tutor, or hire a coach.

Your mentor should be an expert in the area in which you want to learn. In addition, he/she should be able to teach; that is, get information across in an easy-to-understand way. Some people are experts in their fields, but they cannot convey information to others clearly.

Modeling successful people who have achieved what you want provides a readymade road map to reach your goals.

Develop an Action Plan to Achieve Career Goals

Develop an action plan to reach your goals by listing several steps you can take to move yourself closer to those goals. Make your plan easy to implement, and use a viable timeline. Periodically, check your plan to determine if it needs to be adjusted or if it is working for you.

Using the example goal of joining Toastmasters in order to improve communication skills, here is an example action plan:

• Within the next two days, check local listings or search online to find the nearest Toastmasters' group.
• Contact the group by the end of the week and express an interest in joining.
• Attend the next available Toastmasters’ meeting.
• Network with at least two group members at the first meeting.
• Learn speaking tips and techniques from members.
• Become an active participant in the group and continue networking with members.
• Implement changes in presentations according to information obtained at meetings and from constructive criticism following personal speeches.

Develop a similar action plan for each goal you want to achieve and follow through by completing the action plan steps.

Setting Goals for 2010

Once you have decided on your goals for 2010, write and post them where you will see them daily. Goals that are out of sight are also out of mind and 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 include having the traditional publisher publish the novel. That would be relying on someone else to fulfill your goal, and you cannot be sure anyone else will complete your goal. Also, don’t strive for goals that someone else wants for you.

• Rank your goals in order of importance to you. Focus your energy on attaining your goals and 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.

More on creating an action plan in the next blog.

Setting Career Goals

If you have assessed your career by answering the questions in the last blog post, you have a pretty good idea of how you spent your time on the job in 2009. Now, it’s a matter of deciding how you would like to spend your time in 2010.

• Decide where you need to make changes in order to become indispensable to your employer. For example, do you need additional training to advance in your position? Let’s say you decide that you need to be able to make better presentations. Set a goal to make the change. For example, I will join Toastmasters to improve my communication skills.
• Spend some time considering three or four goals you would like to achieve during the next year. Make sure your goals are attainable and measurable. Incorporate a timeframe for achieving the goals.

In the next blog, I will discuss creating an action plan for attaining goals.

2009 Career Assessment and Setting 2010 Career Goals

Where did 2009 go? I mean literally. How did you spend your time in 2009 while on the job? Did you

• Contribute to the best of your ability?
• Work smarter?
• Embrace learning and new technology?
• Perform each task with efficiency and in a timely manner?
• Stand out in a positive way?
• Get along with the boss, coworkers, and customers?
• Accomplish what you had hoped for in your career?
• Meet your career goals?
• Advance appropriately on the job or make career strides?

Answer the above questions to prepare for a stellar 2010 career. As we head into the new year, I will be blogging about making yourself indispensable at work—giving yourself that edge over the competition and earning a rewarding career.