Getting realistic about goals

Any goal you can think of is a positive change. These are the steps to make a positive change happen:

• Recognise what you need to change
• Set a clear goal
• Begin an activity that works towards that goal
• Track your progress
• Reward yourself

Reflection: Look at your goals

Think about a goal you’ve wanted to achieve this year. What activity would make a difference to help you achieve that plan, goal or dream? And how would you track it?

We all have dreams, plans and goals but sometimes we don’t achieve them. There’s often a reason for that. We have a goal in mind but don’t give ourselves a clear plan of how to achieve it.

Specific

Be as specific and clear as possible when setting your goals. A huge or vague goal can be hard to understand, and you’ll find it harder to measure your success. Narrow it down to exactly what you want to achieve. And make your goal realistic , too.

Useful examples:

• I want to brush up my CV and send it to 10 employers I like the sound of
• I want to get to interview stage for a job I might enjoy
• I want to complete a vocational course in a subject I’m interested in
• I want to become Employee of the month

Unrealistic examples:

These are dreams, not planned goals. You might not achieve these without luck, and you can’t rely on luck:

• I want a dream job
• I want a massive pay rise
• I want to win the lottery

Measurable

When you measure your goals, you can see how well you’re doing, and know when you’ve achieved your goal.

A good way to measure your success is to add a time period to your goal, saying when you want to achieve it by.

Useful examples:

• I’d like to become Employee of the month by June.
• I’d like to send my CV off to 10 interesting employers by February.
• I’d like to get a new qualification in a subject I’m interested in by the end of the year.
• I want to get to interview stage for a job I might enjoy in the next six months.

Having a set time to complete your goal boosts your motivation to keep working towards it. It helps you focus on what you want and how you can get it.

Achievable

Pick a goal that is a challenge but within your reach. You can make it happen if you work hard and never lose sight of what you really want.

To help make your goal achievable, pick a main goal then break it down into smaller activities you can do to achieve it.

Realistic

Your goal has to be realistic or you’ll get disappointed when you can’t achieve it. It’s good to be ambitious, but setting unlikely goals can affect your confidence.

You also need to set yourself a believable time frame.

Unrealistic examples:

• I’d like to apply for 30 jobs this afternoon
• I’d like to become Employee of the month next month
• I’d like to get to interview stage for a dream job in two weeks

Give yourself time to carry out changes and activities to make your dream goal happen. You don’t want to rush things and not do your best, or lose hope that you didn’t get it done in time.

Time-scaled

When your goals have a time scale, or a time limit, you can stay motivated to keep trying to achieve them. It can also help you check how well you’re doing. For example, you can add time limits to any mini-tasks you have set yourself to achieve your big goal.

If your main goal is to send your CV to 10 interesting employers by February, you can set yourself to:

• Make a list of 10 jobs/employers to apply to by January 10th
• Refresh and update your CV by January 2oth
• Perfect your cover letter by January 25th
• Apply for 10 roles by January 31st