As 2017 comes to a close and 2018 comes into fruition, now is the perfect time to get started on new professional goals. Whether your goal is to acquire a summer internship or devote more time to a certain project, there are a few important things you should keep in mind. We have compiled five of our go to tips that should help add some fuel to your 2018 professional goals.
1) Review the Past Year
The cliche phrase, “Learn from your mistakes” is the foundation for improving yourself professionally and personally. You cannot set attainable goals if you do not reflect on the previous year’s experience. What worked? What didn’t? Did I meet my goals that I had originally set for 2017? Asking yourself these questions is the first step toward defining a concrete list of attainable personal and professional goals.
2) Have Someone Hold You Accountable
Too often New Year’s Resolutions start out strong but end up crashing and burning after only a couple months. Don’t let this be the case when you are working toward a professional goal, as it could potentially negatively affect your career. In addition to pushing yourself toward achievement, it is a good idea to have someone else,or even a group of colleagues or friends, to help keep you in check. This helps to generate more discussion and feedback both parties can benefit from. Being open with others about what you wish to accomplish is a great motivational tool to keep moving toward your goals. Having a accountability partner can vary in its dynamics, but having monthly check-ins is a great way to enhance the acquisition of your goal.
3) Understand the Importance of Short Term Goals
We all want to look back at the end of the year and be able to say we worked hard toward our end goal. However, we cannot fully appreciate all our hard work without realizing the milestones we reached that helped build our overall goal. We must move forward one step at a time which is why it is important to both track and celebrate our milestones along the path to our goals.
4) Make them Measurable
Quantifying your results is a great way to evaluate your progress. Start with a baseline and assess where you want to see progress or growth. For example, if you want to increase the retention rate for your club or organization, you could integrate team building activities and then see if the membership rate changes.
5) Write Them Down as a Reminder
Having a visual copy of what you want to achieve is a great way to remind yourself to keep going. Write down your goals and why you are setting these specific goals so you can look back at them when you feel off track.
Although 2017 may be over, we should not just leave it in the past. Take your successes, failures, and life experiences and learn from them. 2018 has the power to be the year you soar in your professional career, so don’t forget these tips along the way!