“Research suggests that as many as 8 out of 10 employed adults are in the wrong job or career!”

Career goal setting is an excellent way to motivate yourself and achieving your career dreams. They keep you motivated to live life to the fullest and to get what you want out of it.

Here are 7 successful – strategies to help you set career goals:

1. Start with a positive attitude.  Hope, optimism and enthusiasm have a magical effect on goal setting and the way you think.

2. Set realistic goals.  Try to achieve them with the help of a real career plan that will meet all your needs. Be explicit about what you want and have it thoroughly reviewed to ensure achievability factors. To manage your expectations, set reasonable goals that can be worked on and achieved.

3. Analyse and evaluate professional skills.       If you are employed, unemployed, considering a career change, re-entering the job market or recently graduated, the first step to identifying your career potential needs an objective analysis and evaluation of your capabilities.

4. Sell yourself. Learn the fine art of self-promotion. You need to implement an effective marketing strategy to increase your visibility and gain a competitive edge. If you have had major accomplishments or created successful programs, make sure people know about it — especially those in influential positions who could help you advance professionally. Let it be known that you are seeking a promotion or the next step up in your career.

5. Think financially. Think financially where you want to be in the future (next 10 years) , who you want to work for and how many hours you need to get there. The bottom line is money. Your bills have to be paid, you have to eat and you don’t want to worry every day about not having money for gas. Set up realistic financial goals. Think on them as much as possible. Remember the bottom line.

6. Understand the value of time.  Time is your most essential asset, especially when it comes to setting goals and achieving dreams. Consider writing down your use of time for 24 hours, categorize your activities and then evaluate if you’re getting the most value for those hours spent.

7. Find a mentor or career fitness partner. Find a mentor or colleague who is willing to be your career fitness partner. Choose someone who will motivate and challenge you when you want to quit. Or, form a support group with co-workers who share similar career interests.

Motivate yourself: whenever you achieve a goal, does something nice for yourself. Make sure it’s more than just a pat on the back or verbal acknowledgement; make it worthwhile.