So now that you've determined where you want to go in your career, what's the next step? An excerpt from my book 3D Success: Changing Careers in Mid Life puts it this way. "Simply parking by the side of the road, convinced that you need to alter your course, is not enough. You need to know where you're ultimately headed. You've decided the direction, but now it's time to focus on taking the right road. Although you don't have all the details worked out, be clear about the things you want to change in your career."
Whether it's a matter of a career change or a personal problem that needs to be addressed, trying to create change without a clear vision of the next step in that change can be compared to reading a road map with less than perfect vision. The results can range from wasted time to disaster and that's where goal setting comes in.
Setting goals can involve proven guidelines and suggestions as well designed templates but the exercise also needs to incorporate your personal dreams and desires. Not only that, your reasons for wanting to reach those goals must be positive, attractive, compelling and appealing. Be assured that there will be potholes in the road but knowing where and why you are headed in a particular direction makes it easier to define your target.
It's essential that you pin down what you really want in this new phase of your life and although you can't possibly predict all that will take place during the process, without a clearly stated objective, creating a plan becomes virtually impossible.
Above all, never forget that God loves you and wants you to succeed.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "… plans to give you hope and a future."
