When you’re traveling somewhere new, chances are you need a GPS to ensure you get there successfully and on time. Or, you can go old school and use a map … but the point is, you probably don’t want to just hit the road and play it by ear. Not if you have a specific, important destination in mind.
The same is true of your personal and professional life. You may find your goals, dreams and aspirations slipping away sooner rather than later if you don’t have guidelines to follow.
Take “guidelines” to a rewarding, productive and satisfying level by creating a goals map.
A Roadmap for Your Life
In the words of self-help author Napoleon Hill, “A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
Your goals map is a document with all your top objectives clearly laid out, so you can turn those dreams into reality. It encompasses objectives in all areas of your life: career-related, physical and health-oriented, financial, spiritual, and so on. All those areas constantly compete for your finite amount of time and resources. A goals map helps you view them as a whole, eliminate those that really don’t matter, and set priorities to meet those that do.
How to Create a Goals Map
It may feel overwhelming at first to think about everything you want to accomplish. Keep in mind that your goals map will be a living document, evolving as your life unfolds. But, it will remain the guidepost you come back to as needed. On that note, you should review it regularly and reflect on what modifications need to be made.
But first, you have to build the original model. The best way to get started is to jot down important points and thoughts and/or make an outline. From there, you can flesh it out. Sometimes, people use a flowchart format, but do what works best for you.
SMART Goals
Goals on your map should be SMART:
- Specific: Make them as detailed as possible. Goals need to be clear and concrete, not fuzzy or vague.
- Measurable: Goals also need to be quantifiable, so that at any point in time, you can check and know whether or not you’re on track to achieve them.
- Achievable: Every goal must be within reach, so don’t over-plan. If a goal is too big, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces that you can reach step by step.
- Relevant: This means all your goals are connected to your sincere and deepest aspirations, and aligned with your personal values.
- Time-Bound: This brings us back to the deadline part. Without a deadline, it’s not a goal. It’s just a wish.
Start today to take control of your own destiny and achieve more, with your own goals map. To learn more about the process or for additional insight into keeping it all in balance as you grow your career in healthcare, light industry, office administration or managed services, contact Accurate Staffing Consultants, Inc., today.