Setting goals and achieving them, the SMART way

Setting goals is an important part of the process of living a fulfilling life. Setting achievable personal goals and career goals can give you milestones to hit and build momentum. It is also a crucial part of the job search process. Read on to learn about how SMART goals can get you where you need to be in your personal and work life.

SMART goals use a framework that can help you in achieving goals by creating a plan and breaking down your milestones into manageable chunks. By having a plan and being prepared for the roadblocks that may pop up along the way, you will find it easier to deal with difficulties and stay motivated.

Specific – The first part of setting goals that many people struggle with is not having a clear idea of what they want to achieve. Really think about what you want. Is any job good enough? Or do you want to strive to work in a specific industry? What about the type of role and hours?  The clearer you are with your career goals, the easier it will be to make an effective plan to get what you want.

Measurable – You need a way to be able to track your progress towards your goals. Making short term goals that can contribute towards your bigger goal is a good way to do that. It could be a certain amount of job applications per week or a set number of hours upskilling in a short course. All these smaller targets add up and contribute to your success.

Achievable – Be honest with yourself when setting goals. Having a dream is great but if you set a goal that is too difficult, you may become overwhelmed or struggle with motivation. Especially if you don’t see success early on.  

Relevant – What does the goal mean to you. Striving for something that is important to you helps maintain motivation and ultimately success. One way to keep focused is to have visual reminders of what success would mean to you. A holiday destination or maybe a new car. Whatever keeps you focused. 

Timely – Having a timeframe in mind also helps when setting goals. Without a deadline, you are less likely to maintain the momentum you need to get on top of your goals. 

Other ways of keeping motivated

Reward yourself – it can be hard to stick to your goals, so another way of making it a little easier is rewarding yourself once you reach certain milestones or complete tasks. It will give you some added motivation, but it can also retrain your brain to get some added enjoyment out of achieving your goals!

Don’t do it alone – Tell someone about your goals, they can help you to hold yourself to them. Alternatively, depending on your goal, you may be able to join a class or find a mentor that can help you achieve your goals.

Your placement consultant could be a great person to help you with setting goals. So don’t hesitate to have a chat with them about how they can help you stay motivated and achieve your goals this year.