I don’t know about you, but one thing I find invaluable when it comes to moving things forward is having a plan, a map if you like, which sets out both career ambitions and personal aspirations.  With a plan firmly in place, you know exactly where you are heading and without it, yes you guessed it, you are lost and find yourself wasting valuable time!

If you are considering making changes in your career, be it a new role, a promotion or something a little more adventurous perhaps you are considering a complete change in direction.  Having a plan will help you.  It is important to acknowledge that it won’t happen overnight but with a plan mapped out your path is so much clearer.  You can focus your attention on the implementation, day by day or perhaps like me, over a few years.

Do you find that you become distracted when something is a little more challenging than you thought?  That you divert to deal with something more interesting at the first hurdle?

Well, you’re not alone!  It is human nature isn’t it?

Write your goals down so you can see them

By writing down your goals it makes them real so rather than lurking at the back of your mind you can see them.  They become real as you have set out what you need to achieve, by when and what steps you need to take in order to achieve them.  Write them down and rank them in order of priority.  Be as specific as you can in terms of how you are going to achieve your goals.  Break it down, step by step, stage by stage.

For me, I like to add these specific steps to my diary for specified blocks of time so that I am clear about what needs doing when.  You may also find having tasks pre-scheduled in your diary will give you that focus on taking action and achieve step by step each stage to your destination.  Be careful though, you must be realistic with your timeframes that’s very important.  Don’t over commit yourself by cramming too much in as they may then become unachievable.  If this happens you will feel demotivate when you fail to complete them and the feeling of overwhelm comes flooding back.

Be specific and realistic 

Whatever challenge you are facing, a potential new client meeting or an interview for a new job your chances of success are increased by rehearsing beforehand.  Ask someone you trust for their honest feedback.  Without a plan these ‘planning steps’ are easily overlooked and result in you feeling under prepared and uncomfortable.  Again, be specific and be realistic.  If you identify gaps in your experience or knowledge then highlight ways that you can overcome these and work towards achieving them – one step at a time, building the bridge.

Enlist support from others

If you know you will benefit from the help of others then take action and ask for their support.  Don’t hold back, don’t worry about what their reaction could potentially be, be positive and keep moving forward.

Update, tweak and add to your plan

As with any plan, you need to review and make changes as time progresses, continuously updating, tweaking and adding to your plan to keep you on the right track.  Having your destination clearly marked on your map before you begin will make your journey to achieving your desired end result quicker and easier.

I hope you have found some of my tips useful.  If you use any other methods to keep yourself focused on achieving your goals, please do let me know as I would love to learn from you.