Friend,
In a job interview, the interviewer usually asks the question, “where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?” If you are like me, you instantly get annoyed (on the inside of course). It seems to be such a broad and cliche question to answer. Our answers usually change as life unfolds, and we experience new things. I usually tell the interviewer what they want to hear and give the most picture perfect answer. When it applies to our everyday lives, the answer to this question should be more precise. We should have a true representation of what we are striving for. Let’s brush up on our answer to that question.
Every step we take moves us closer to our goals….. But….. if we aren’t taking any steps, then we aren’t moving towards our goal at all! If we have no goal set, then we have nothing to work towards. So what do we do? Here are some tips to help us work towards our goals.
SET REALISTIC GOALS
- The first step is to visualize what your ultimate end goal looks like. How do you see yourself? What has always been your dream? If someone were to give you 1 million dollars and told you to go follow your dreams, what would that journey look like? Is it something you would do for free, or simply for the love of it? If not, you may want to analyze if it is a passion, or just a good idea. Be realistic with yourself. If you love doing makeup, and your goal is to have your own makeup studio, don’t set a goal of going to school to be a dental surgeon just because you would make more money.
SET TANGIBLE MILESTONES
- It is easier to achieve smaller tangible goals than trying to achieve the finish line altogether. If you are constantly looking at the end result, it could overwhelm you and elongate the time it takes to reach your goal. Setting milestones also helps you better gauge your progress. Baby steps are still steps, progress is still progress. Taking smaller steps gives you more reason to celebrate as you bite off each piece.
USE TUNNEL VISION
- Don’t base your goals off of the life of someone else. It is fine to have role models, but remember that no one’s journey is identical to the next person’s. You have your own road to travel, and you would be safer staying in your own lane. Try not to play the comparison game as much as possible per it could enable feelings of doubt, if you feel they are doing better than you are. Look straight ahead and keep your head held high.
GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
- You are more likely to go for your goals if you when others know about it. If you don’t tell anyone and you slack off on your grind, there will be no shame in your game if you never get there. It is also good to have an accountability partner for encouragement. They can give you helpful insight and root you on every step of the way. Anytime you are feeling like quiting, they will be there to remind you of why you started, so pick a good fit for the job. I would suggest not to tell the full public until you’ve reached your goal, because everyone may not be routing you on and could possibly derail your progress.
CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS
- There’s nothing like meeting your ultimate goal, but if you don’t celebrate along the way, you may get weary when the going gets tough and then your morale will be lost. Celebrating your accomplishments or milestones along the way builds morale and gives you more and more momentum the more you accomplish.
I hope this post was helpful and encouraged you to set and start working towards your goals. Ready, set, GOAL!!
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”