In today’s fast-paced world, it can be difficult to keep up with all the demands of work and life. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and confusion about what is important in your life. With so many demands on our time, it’s easy to let other obligations fall by the wayside or become secondary to our primary job responsibility.
But this doesn’t have to be a negative thing—in fact, it can be quite empowering to acknowledge that you’re in control of your future and actively working towards becoming the person you want to be. When we understand who we are and where we want to go as individuals, we gain clarity about what actions we need to take in order to get there. To help you start moving forward in your career path with ease, here are 8 essential steps you should take today:
Know what you want to achieve in your career
The first step towards achieving your career goals is to understand what they are. You can’t take action on something if you don’t know what it is. You can’t know what you want to achieve if you can’t answer the basic question, “What are my career goals?” Instead of letting your career goals be determined by someone else’s expectations, take the time right now to define what your career goals are.
What do you want your career to look like? Where do you want to be? Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have all the answers immediately. The important thing is that you start the process of self-discovery and put yourself in a mindset of growth and progress.
Take accountability for where you are in your career
After you have an idea of what your career goals are, the next step is to take accountability for where you are at in your career. As we mentioned in the first step, you can’t take action on something unless you understand what it is. And, in order to truly understand where you are, you have to be honest with yourself about your skills, weaknesses, and current position.
This means being aware of the skills you’ve developed up to this point in your career and what you’re good at. It also means being aware of the skills you wish you were better at or wish you had.
Identify your skills and weaknesses
If you don’t know where you are, it’s impossible to know where you want to go. This step is crucial because it forces you to take a long, hard look in the mirror and confront your current situation. Taking the time to identify your skills and weaknesses will help you truly understand what your career goals are right now and what you need to do next.
This might sound like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by taking out a piece of paper and writing down the 10–15 things you think you excel at and the 5–10 things you wish you were better at.
Determine where you currently stand
As you think about where you currently stand in your career, don’t just think about your skills and weaknesses—think about your current position in the workplace. Where are you in your current job? How far along in the path to promotion do you think you are? Taking ownership of where you currently stand will help you determine the next steps to take in your career.
For example, if you’re at an entry-level position but you want to be managing a team within two years, you’ll know that you need to take action right now to get to that place.
Define where you want to be
Now that you’ve identified where you currently stand and where you want to be, it’s time to put two and two together and see where you want to be. This step is crucial because it forces you to get specific about your career goals and really visualize your future. Putting your goals down on paper will help you hold yourself accountable and make sure that you stay focused on what you truly want.
Write a plan to get there
Now that you’ve taken ownership of where you are in your career and where you want to be, it’s time to put pen to paper and create a plan to get there. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate—it can just be a list of the things you need to do to move forward.
For example, if you want to transition from an entry-level position to managing a team, you might have to take on more responsibility at work, take a managerial training course, or apply for a promotion. Think about the different ways you can move forward towards your career goals. This will help you eliminate any unnecessary distractions and focus on what truly matters.
Commit to your plan and take action immediately
Now that you’ve written a plan and you understand what your goals are, it’s time to commit to your plan and take immediate action towards achieving your career goals. This doesn’t have to happen all at once and you don’t have to do everything perfectly. In fact, you probably won’t.
The important thing is that you take the first step and continue to take action towards your goals. Action and progress can be empowering and can help you stay focused on what truly matters. The important thing is that you start the process of self-discovery and put yourself in a mindset of growth and progress.
Celebrate small wins along the way and continue to celebrate!
Throughout your career, it’s important to celebrate the small wins as well as the large accomplishments. This is because taking time to celebrate your small wins will not only help you stay positive and motivated, it will also help you celebrate the progress you’ve made towards your goals.
Instead of thinking about all the other things you have to do, celebrate the progress you’ve made so far and acknowledge that you’re actively moving towards your goals. Now that you know what you need to do to reach your career goals, it’s time to get to work. Follow these 8 steps to help you reach your career goals and live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
