The Art and Science of Career Goal Setting
Posted on January 18, 2010 by Sophie Bizeul, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
From Passion to Profession
Goal setting is often perceived as the buzz phrase of a performance-driven society that tends to assess people’s happiness by the number of zeroes on their bank account rather than by the quality of the time spent making a difference and contributing one’s own gifts. Yet, while goal setting is not always used in the best possible way, it has been shown over and over again to be the best guarantee of our ultimate success and fulfillment, in our lives in general but also in our careers. How so?
Going about our careers with no specific goal can be likened to catching a plane with no final destination in mind: you keep going from one job or position to another, not being too sure where you will land next and running the risk that you will not like it. You are more like a passenger on someone else’s craft than the pilot of your own plane. By contrast, if you set professional goals for yourself and decide on a specific direction to take, you will feel like you are at the helm of your own career. As such, you are more likely to enjoy both the journey and the destination once you get there. The flight might still not be a direct flight and you might encounter unpredictable disturbances along the way, but being your own captain will allow you to freely adjust your itinerary until you reach an arrival point that truly inspires you. So how could you design a career plan that supports you in reaching your desired destination?
In its simplest form, your career plan should answer 3 questions: What, Why and How. In other words, you might want to ask yourself: From a career perspective, what would I specifically want to contribute to this world? How could I make it happen (be creative!)? Why is it so important for me to contribute my gifts in such a way? While the first two questions will address the direction you would like to take and the means you will put into place to get there, the last one is crucial for you to stay on course even in times when you might feel as if you are on a long-haul flight and as a result start losing your motivation.
Whatever course you choose, chances are that by setting clear career goals for yourself, you will no longer feel like a victim of circumstances but will increasingly become the inspired creator of your own circumstances – you will be able to transform your passion into a profession. And if you find that you need some extra support, why not sign up for a free introductory session?
