Create An Action Plan to Achieve Your Career Goals
As a professional speaker, I have honed my craft and grown my business with the tremendous resources of the National Speakers Association. NSA’s current President is Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP. In a recent NSA Speaker Magazine, Ruby outlined suggestions to put goals into actionable steps.
Creating goals is essential but unless you also develop a plan of action and accountability – your goals may never become reality. Check out Ruby’s wisdom about making the goal-setting process easier:
- Celebrate your accomplishments and recognize people who have helped you. We often move on to the next task without taking the time to thank those who have been instrumental in our success. By honoring those who have helped with gratitude, you will generate more positive support for future projects.
- Determine why you want to accomplish each goal. With a clear rationale, you will be motivated to achieve each goal and have clarity of purpose and execution.
- Clarify goals to make them measurable so you know when you have closure. Be specific about what a completed goal looks like and identify metrics for success or improvement.
- Break large goals into small chunks with mini-milestones. Achieving the mini goals will give you a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to forge ahead. Reward yourself for completing the half marathon before you continue on for the final leg of the full race.
- Determine the resources you need to attain each goal. Outline a budget and the tools required for each goal. Be specific and plan ahead.
- Post your goals in a visible location. Writing down and posting your goals is a powerful reminder and a measure of accountability that you are determined to succeed.
- Enlist a support system. Share your goals with people you trust. Ask them to request regular updates to help keep you on track.
- Identify potential obstacles. Identify potential challenges and create contingency plans to avoid or overcome issues that could derail you.
- Establish a reward system. Create ways to reward yourself for achieving goals. Make it fun and motivational as you work towards the next goal.
Thanks, Ruby and onwards to my goals for this New Year!
