Are Your Career Goals Too Broad?

 

Nearly everyone has particularly lofty career goals that sit in the back of their mind. Maybe you want to start your own company or switch to a different career field. Maybe you are hoping to further your education, giving you the ability to progress more quickly?

While having large career goals isn’t inherently a problem, if they’re too broad, you are going to struggle. The lack of focus makes figuring out how to begin challenging, and defining success may be similarly difficult. As a result, you may find yourself paralyzed; unable to take action because you can’t figure out what steps you need to take.

Luckily, nearly any career goals, no matter how broad initially, can be morphed into something manageable. If you aren’t sure how to begin, here are some tips to help you on your journey.

Define Everything You Can

A poorly defined goal isn’t going to provoke action. When the target is ambiguous, it is hard to imagine what success looks like, more or less making your goal unactionable.

If your goal is too broad, you need to tighten it up. For example, instead of the vague objective of furthering your education, identify the exact degree you want to earn. Instead of just knowing you want to start a company, figure out your niche, industry, product, or service. If your goal is to transition to a different career field, switch it up by identifying your ideal role.

The idea is to develop your goal as much as possible, filling in relevant details that make it actionable. Once you have a clear target, figuring out how to proceed with your career goals is simpler.

Work Backwards to Find the Steps

When you try to break down a goal by starting where you are now and looking forward, it usually isn’t easy. You may seem incredibly far away from your objective, leading you to feel defeated before you even begin.

However, by working backward, you limit the odds that you’ll experience that sensation. Plus, it may make identifying critical steps easier.

Picture your goal and then consider what needs to come right before that. Once you have that step identified, figure out what has to occur immediately before that. Then, continue that process until you get to where you are today. Now you have a practical roadmap for reaching your goal.

Now, you don’t have to outline every detail. Instead, you merely need to give yourself milestones that represent forward progress. That way, your goal becomes actionable.

Get Started ASAP

Once you have a roadmap ready, it’s time to get started. Pick a single task that moves you toward your first milestone and get it handled. For example, if getting a degree is one of your career goals, this could include researching colleges or completing a FAFSA.

The most important thing is to actually get moving. As you do, you’ll be able to build momentum, ensuring your goal can actually become a reality.

 

If you would like to learn more about effective goal-setting, the professionals at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members today and see how our career mapping expertise can benefit you. Click here to browse our open jobs on your own time.

 

 

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