Dear Ba’ians,
Whoa!! Its Monday again!!
So what is so special about a Monday?
Well its a day after a weekend.
Its a day filled with renewed hope and energy towards having an amazing week ahead.
A day to promise yourself to not repeat the mistakes that you might have made last week.
But do you realize all these positive thoughts, the energy boils down to one thing i.e GOALS!!!!
So what are goals, and why do they play such an important part in the life of someone who ants to be successful?
Well goals are something that give direction to our scattered thoughts. Without goals, our life will be like a ship in the sea without a compass.
So how does one go about setting his/her goals?
Well the best way would be to divide your goals into 3 parts i.e. short term, mid term and long term goals.
SHORT TERM GOALS:
Questions to ask yourself:
- How is your short-term plan going to help you achieve your end goal?
- Which factors of your plan are within your control? Which are outside of it?
- What will you do if you are unable to accomplish part of your plan?
What your plan should include:
Start by identifying your immediate goals.
Examples: You need to finish the GK for the month of December. You need to make sure that you read the newspaper daily no matter what. You need to revise the Quant concepts before your Syndicate bank exam…things like this. Basically all those goals that will push you towards your goals.
Next, get set with detailed steps that will enable you to accomplish each goal.
You’re almost there! Once you’ve figured out what and how, set down the when.
Create a timeline, breaking your plan down into weekly increments going up to monthly goals. To ensure you have enough time to realistically complete each step, and to give yourself a check-list for what you need to finish each month.
Another important aspect is for goals to have the SMART Principle applied to them to give them meaning.
The SMART Principle is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable/Achievable
- Realistic/Reasonable
Dream small dreams. If you make them too big, you get overwhelmed and you don’t do anything. If you make small goals and accomplish them, it gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals.
You must be passionate, you must dedicate yourself, and you must be relentless in the pursuit of your goals. If you do, you will be successful.
Mid Term Goals:
Goals that can be anywhere between 1 month to 6 months. Goals that give you a picture as to when you need to hit your goals. Say like within 6 months you need to be fully prepared for the SBI interview, or for some to have a job in hand, be well versed with all the information you need to be a good banker, etc.
The long term (1+ years from now)
The final section of your career plan will inevitably be the most abstract, but will also probably be the most exciting because it centres around your most ambitious professional goals!
What your plan should include:
This is a place to identify your “big goal” – where you want to be professionally after spending years on your career.
Examples: “What after becoming a PO”, What next? How to upgrade yourself to beat the competition in the future? What you need to do to reach the top of the ladder?
Here, you’ll want to build on the path you’ve planned in your short- and medium-term reflections. Assuming many (or all) of your plans in those areas are successful, ask yourself how you’ll be better equipped to pursue these lofty career ambitions.
Build a timeline using 5-year blocks for 5+, 10+ and 15+ years from now. Putting your major long-term goals in perspective will help you understand the steps you need to take today – and tomorrow.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Where do you expect to be financially, physically, emotionally, etc. in 5+ years?
- What else do you hope to accomplish, outside of your career, in the long term?
- What are some potential changes in your desired industry that could affect your career or your ability to compete in the job market?
- Do you have a second career choice in mind that you will have access to as an alternate option?
- Once you’ve created your career plan, don’t forget to revisit it regularly to check in with your goals, make changes as needed and ensure that you’re following the timelines you set for yourself.
Remember that this is just a plan – although it’s great to be prepared and to know what you want to achieve, it’s impossible to plan out every detail of the future.
You’ll be much better off if you’re able to adapt to challenges as they arise and take advantage of new opportunities that come your way, without losing sight of what’s important to you in the long run.
If you’re bored with life – you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things – you don’t have enough goals.
