A goal is an ambition or objective that you would like to achieve. You can set goals in every aspect of your personal and professional life.

Setting goals helps us build a long-term vision and gives us short-term motivation. By setting a clear endpoint, goals also give us an easy way to measure our progress. People who set themselves goals and stick to them tend to be more successful in life and in their careers.

There are many different ways to set goals, but a common method is the “SMART” model, which is shown below.

Specific
Your goal should be very clearly defined, and you should be able to describe it in a few words.

Measurable
You should be able to measure progress towards your goal.

Achievable
Your goal should challenge you, but it must be something you are able to achieve.

Realistic/Relevant
Your goal should align with your current life circumstances and your future ambitions.

Time-framed
You should set yourself a time limit in which to complete your goal.

Absolutely! It can be useful to set yourself one long-term goal and then some smaller, short-term goals to help you achieve the long-term goal. This is especially important if your long-term goal requires a lot of studying or work experience before you can reach it.

When you set a goal, ask yourself lots of questions to make sure it is right for you. Use the GROW model and try it out on the goal-setting worksheet..

If you’re following the SMART structure, your goals should be measurable. This means you can measure how close you are to achieving your goal on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. A simple way to record your progress is to keep a diary or journal that you write in every day.

It can be easy to get caught up in working towards your goals without taking time to reflect on and be proud of your progress. Celebrating when you have achieved something will improve your confidence and motivate you to keep working hard.

When you make progress towards one of your goals, share it with family, friends, or your Employment Adviser, take some time off, or do something you enjoy. It can also be helpful to write down how you feel after your achievement.