It has been five years since you’ve set foot on your office workplace that was painted in yellow before, but now it is blue. For five years, you have been typing away your work on the same spot, but now on a different chair and computer. The young lady sitting next to your cubicle is now pregnant; you even had a crush on her before, but you just don’t have the courage to say how you feel for her.
Everything, for the last five years has changed. Even the way your boss smiles at you: before it was his trademark grin, now it is more of a grimace. The only thing left unchanged is your work position.
It’s time to set realistic goals for yourself. If you want to be in your dream work position in a salary that you could actually boast of, set goals and try to achieve them within a particular frame of time. These goals must be realistic within your capabilities and resources.
It won’t matter if you are a self-employed or a company employee, you must set goals on where you want to be in a year or five years from now. Aiming at a specific position and working towards that target would pave the way for a brighter future and a more fruitful life.
1. Know your target position very well
In setting work goals, know that there is no better way to be able to adjust better than to be aware of the underlining responsibilities of a target position. Ask your colleagues about the complaints or rewards of the target position so you can prepare yourself in the future.
Remember to be discreet for they might be gunning for it too.
2. The objectives should be realistic.
Setting work goals should be in line with your present work situation. It should be attainable and within reach in as much as short a time as possible.
If you are eyeing for a managerial position when you are barely a year from work, think it over. Although it is possible, realistically speaking, it can’t be attained. Don’t brag about in your entire department that you could actually be the youngest employee to be a manager due to sheer "talent." Your employer might sack you for daydreaming too much.
3. Gauge your competency
Know your strength and capabilities. As Socrates had put it, "Know thyself." Only when you are sure of your strength and capabilities that you could actually gauge yourself with competitors.
4. Single-out and note non-bias opinions
Positive or negative, opinions speak a lot about you. Feedback from outside sources is always worthy of your attention and is a sure key to your success.
5. Stay on focus
Once you have set your target, every minute and every effort that you make should be spent effectively towards reaching this target.
6. Contentment is the key
Remember that whenever you have succeeded in reaching a goal, you must be content with it and avoid the desire to make bigger targets outright when you have yet to prove yourself.
Learn to control your ego and retract your moves. You have to rethink the next goal over carefully. Remember that a job environment is always fluid and therefore careful planning is very important.
7. Refrain from envy.
This reminder is closely associated to the previous advice. If you teach yourself contentment, it should be heartfelt.
Never look up at your colleague who might have gotten a higher position and say to yourself that you have failed.
Remember that the present work goal that you have reached is just another step higher on the ladder. There would be more promising opportunities to come your way.
8. Monitor your progress
Monitor your progress. In setting work goals, take corrective measures to be sure that you are on the right track. If you have to retract your steps just to fix an impending problem, do it. You would be surprised of the rewards afterwards.