By Jean Baer
Many people work incredibly hard but feel they're getting nowhere. The reason is they're trying to do too many things at one time. The key to achieving career success is to set goals.
Says Dr Herbert Fensterheim, clinical professor, Cornell University Medical College, "Having goals helps you to separate the important from the trivial so that you can make decisions about where to expend time and energy. Long-term goals give you a feeling of movement through life. Sub-goals provide a sense of accomplishment."
How do you set up a goal programme that gets you where you want to go? The following pointers may help.
1. Define your goals
In doing this, ask yourself some of the same questions that industrial psychologists use to develop achievement motivation. What are your goals? How can you accomplish them? How do you deal with the obstacles?
2. Concentrate on sub-goals
According to the late Dr Norman R.F. Maier, professor emeritius of psychology at the University of Michigan, "Ask yourself what you want out of life. Then divide your life into sub-goals." That means "What do I want to accomplish today?" For instance, your long-range goal is to get a marketing job. But this involves many sub-goals. You might want to keep a graph in which you record performance of such sub-goals as "let your boss know of your intentions" or "speak to someone currently in that position". Be sure to mark your chart when you perform an act. Remember, sub-goals provide encouragement.
3. Make it easier for yourself to get started
Once you have formulated your goals, write them down. Make your list specific and concrete. Don't use vague generalities like "I will stop procrastinating.." "not to be late any more.." "be more organised". Instead, if your goal is to be on time at work, be very exact: "I will be at my deskat the office no later than 9". Warning: do not think you're wonderful just because you've written down your intention. Move on to the next step of action or you just become a master at writing intentions. You should break goals into specific acts.
4. Set priorities
Pace yourself - at such and such an hour, you'll do certain things. When you have to do something really important, try to defer everything else until the next day. Do the deadline chore first.
5. Understand your limitations
Talent and age obviously affect your goals. At 40, you can learn to play tennis, but you'll never be like Chris Evert.
6. Set up your own system of reinforcement.
One harassed working woman says, "If I have given my all to my job for four and a half days, I take Friday afternoon off. I stay on the premises of my job but essentially I quit work. I get my hair done at lunch time, write personal letters and make personal phone calls in the afternoon and sometimes just stare at the wall and think". You can give rewards to yourself (always keep in mind the perception: If I don't meet the goal, I don't get the reward) or you can get them from others.