Have you already defined your professional and career goals for the coming year? If not, or if you think it's unnecessary, we'll tell you why it's a good idea. Plus, we'll give you the best tips to help you define and achieve them.
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In the Southern Hemisphere, every December, people often make a list of their resolutions for the following year. Will I find a partner? Should I take that trip I've been longing for, or should I use that money to pursue a master's degree instead? These are questions many ask themselves before defining what they want for their year.
Most people fail to maintain their New Year's resolutions over time. This is one of the conclusions of a 1988 study (1). According to the research, 77% of participants kept their promises for 1 week, but only 19% for 2 years.
While the study is somewhat discouraging, so are current figures that state only 8% of people who make New Year's resolutions actually keep them. (2)
Do you want to be part of that 8% and have a successful year? You can do it. How? With consistency, perseverance, and the guidelines we'll provide.
Some recommend not making resolutions but defining concrete goals. But what's the difference between a resolution and a goal? A resolution is a decision to do or not do something, while a goal is specific and measurable. A resolution is a dream or a hope, while a goal means having a concrete plan. For example, a resolution is to lose weight, while a goal is to lose 5 kilos in a 6-month period by controlling your diet and leading an active lifestyle.
In the aforementioned study, those who successfully kept their resolutions reported using significantly more stimulus control, reinforcement, and willpower than those who were unsuccessful over the 2 years. Even those who managed to maintain their resolutions had some deviation in the process, mainly due to a lack of self-control, excessive stress, and negative emotions.
The acronym SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely.
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Specific: What do you want to achieve in your professional life?
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Measurable: What indicators can be used to measure the achievement of this goal?
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Attainable: Is this goal reasonable within the current context of your professional and personal life, and the country or global context?
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Relevant: Why is this goal relevant to you? As we've mentioned before, happiness at work is related to happiness in personal life and a sense of fulfillment.
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Timely: What is your deadline for achieving this goal? A good way to start the year is to define your professional goals for the short, medium, and long term.
When it comes to professional life, the following goals are typical at the beginning of the year:
- Find a job / change jobs / get a promotion
- Learn something new
- Expand your network of contacts
- Achieve a better work-life balance
Let's see how to transform these goals into a concrete action plan to increase your chances of success.
An example of how to make your job search goal SMART:
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S: the goal is to find a job;
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M: applications (how many applications have you submitted?), meetings with people who can give you references, finding a job (indicator: goal achieved);
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A: actively looking for a job;
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R: to leave unemployment and re-enter the job market;
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T: within a 6-month period.
Speaking of concrete and measurable actions, if you want to look for or find a (new) job in the coming year, how many meetings with acquaintances have you had in the last month? Remember that your network of contacts is the most powerful tool for finding a job. As well as having tools like the Professional Career Planner, which, in addition to helping you with self-exploration, will allow you to develop your value proposition. Finally, it will help you build a Curriculum Vitae and a Cover Letter, vital items when looking for a new job.
And you, have you already defined your professional goals for this year?
1. ResearchGate. The resolution solution: Longitudinal examination of New Year's change attempts. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223679624_ The_resolution_solution_Longitudinal_examination_of_New_ Year's_change_attempts
2. Forbes.com. This Year, Don't Set New Year's Resolutions. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashiraprossack1/2018/12/31/goals-not-resolutions/#7c9553903879
3. Standford News. New year’s resolution. Available at: https://news.stanford.edu/2018/12/28/resolutions/
4. Inc.This Morning. The Research-Backed Secret to Achieving Your New Year's Resolution: Hit the Goldilocks Point of Hardness. Available at: https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-scientific-case-for-easy-new-years-resolutions.html
Written in collaboration with Katherina Bussel
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