The New Year is a great time to make new career and personal goals. With twelve months ahead of you to achieve your dreams, sit down in January and make a list of the things you want to accomplish in 2003. Use your imagination and feelings to generate some real goals you can pursue for the New Year.

Now, take a good look at your list, and number the items, going from your top priority goal down to the lesser ones. For example, let's say this is your list of goals for 2003:

• Get a new job
• Find a love relationship
• Quit smoking
• Lose five pounds

Your most important goal, according to your list, is to find a new job. Let's start to work on your objective. Take a sheet of paper and write down some specifics about the job you desire. For example:

• Salary must be at least 50K a year
• Work hours must be day shift
• {Here you would specify the career field and/or job}
• Very little or no overtime required
• And so on...

Your list of job specifics could be quite long or short, depending on your needs and preferences. When you finish your list, you will have a measurable goal in front of you. Your work towards your objective has begun.

Next, make an action log, listing the steps you need to take to get your goal underway. You'll be using your log every day, writing down what you've accomplished and the necessary follow-up steps to take later. Make sure you write down the date you take each action step. If you keep an accurate record, you won't have to guess what you've done a week or a month from now–it'll be right there on paper.

A key element of goal achievement is to have your goal right in front of you as much as you can. Whether it's sitting on your desk, posted on your mirror, or attached to your refrigerator, your goal needs to be visible throughout the day. Place your written goal where you will see it often. The more you see your goal, the more you will keep it in mind. And the more you keep your goal in mind, the more motivated you are to make it happen.

© Kathy Sanborn
Life Channels Staff Writer
All Rights Reserved
Life and Career Coaching
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