Defining and achieving goals can be challenging. Part of the challenge comes from figuring out how best to pursue your dreams—there are a lot of approaches out there, and it can be hard to determine which will work well for you.
Another part of the challenge comes from the basics: clearly defining what you want. "I want to earn over $1 million in the next few years" is a good start, but it doesn't touch on why you want to earn that specific amount, for instance, much less why you need to do so within a certain timeframe.
For working professionals to effectively reach their goals, they need to know exactly what they want out of their job and their life. From there, they need to chart a path to reach those goals, with clear milestones along the way to mark their progress. To help guide you in the right direction, we asked six members of Forbes Coaches Council for a few actionable steps professionals can take to identify and achieve their goals.
1. Learn How To Articulate What You Want
Give clients the space to think about, and then articulate, what they want. Have clients take charge of writing, drawing or otherwise representing their goals as part of their desired future. A framework to get there draws on all the resources that the client has at their disposal—internal and external—that can be mobilized to help them achieve their goals. - Palena Neale, unabridged
2. Look At Things From The Right Perspective
I ask my clients, "What is your vision for the future? Not as a person at work, but as a human?" From that perspective, we can co-create an actionable ladder with "rungs" or steps that each have a measured cost to the individual, the business, and the person's sense of balance. From there, they can test out the road ahead step-by-step, making measurable progress without the fear that comes with a much bigger bite. - Courtney Feider, Courtney Feider, LLC
3. Infuse A Sense Of Urgency In The Process
Infuse a sense of urgency into their goal definition process. Ask them, "If you only had one goal that you could choose that you would be guaranteed to achieve successfully in the next three months, what goal would you select and what would success look like?" Once clients are able to articulate their vision in these terms, it is easier to decipher realistic paths to get there. - Karan Ferrell-Rhodes, Shockingly Different Leadership
4. Be Specific And Look For Small Wins
Be specific about what you are going after. Once defined, look for the small wins. What is one thing you can do now, today, to take one step forward? Every day, add more small wins until you cross the finish line. - David Yudis, Potential Selves, Inc.
Read more in When Career Frustration Strikes: Four Steps To Getting Unstuck And Moving Forward
5. Create A Narrative Around Your Objectives
Create a narrative around your goals and objectives. Who are the players, what roles do they play, what is the principal challenge that must be overcome and what is the desired objective or outcome? That gives everyone a common goal and understanding of how you can all get from here to there. - Theodore May, Theodore May
6. Start With Your Vision And How You Can Achieve It
Don't start with tactical goals as those might not be meaningful enough. Rather, force yourself to aspire to larger, more purposeful goals, applicable toward your brand, business, and personal well-being. Make sure they are elevated enough to give you room to grow into them over time. In other words, start with a vision (your worldview), and then build(three or four) objectives for achieving that vision. These objectives can then be supported by a portfolio of well-authored tactics, which fulfill the various objectives, all in order to live into your vision. We call it "strategic dreaming." - Brad Circone, Circone + Associates, Inc.
