Establishing career goals is essential but over time, they could become stale. Here’s how to figure out whether yours are in need of a refresh.

When it comes to setting #careergoals, most people do it when they’re in a certain mindset, such as around the beginning of the year along with their New Year’s resolutions or after a promotion. And having goals are important – research indicates that people who have clear goals are 14.2% more likely to feel inspired at work, are more persistent in pursuing achievements and are better able to focus on what truly matters. But over time, things happen – either in your workplace or your industry as a whole, which can make you rethink these goals as they might no longer align with your plans or where you see yourself in five years.

Instead of writing them off completely, it can be worth re-examining to see if any of them are still relevant to your journey up the proverbial ladder, or replacing them with ones that apply to where you’re at and keep you motivated. Here’s how to clarify your work goals to see if they still speak to you or whether it’s time to replace them.

Establish what Your Current Values Are

Just like your career goals, as you grow as a person and have you core experience, your core values can also change. When you set goals around work, you may have been in a different phase of life than you are now. Ask yourself what matters to you today, whether that’s flexibility, financial stability, creativity or impact. Because if your work

Be Aware of your emotional response

When you think about your goals, how do they make you feel? This is a good way to assess whether they are going to be a good source of motivation or not.

Gut feelings shouldn’t be ignored! If you feel consistent dread, procrastination or even indifference, this can signal that a goal no longer resonates and that it no longer matters to you. You should be feeling enthusiastic about reaching your goal rather than being despondent.

Evaluate whether the goals fit your lifestyle

If you made your goals when you were just starting out in your career then you will most likely need to change, or at least update, them to reflect your current lifestyle. You may have new responsibilities, priorities or even energy levels, so an old goal may no longer feel possible or sustainable. If your lifestyle and your goals conflict, then it may be time to reassess.

Look at your progress in an honest way

Remember: Not progressing the way you thought you would in your career is not a sign of failure. Instead, it could actually be a sign of misalignment. Be honest with yourself about why you are stagnating, whether it’s a skills gap, a lack of resources or simply a lack of desire. Doing some real reflecting on this aspect of your career can help you to establish if a challenge is worth pushing through or if it’s time for the goal to be released and replaced.

What is the ‘why’ behind your goals?

A good way to check if a goal is worth striving towards is by figuring out why you set it in the first place. Was it driven by sincere passion or external pressure, such as societal norms, family expectations or comparison? If your ‘why’ doesn’t feel meaningful, the goal probably isn’t either so it can be removed from the list and replaced with something that ignites and spurs you forward.

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Consider who is that you are becoming

Your goals might be stuck in the past and holding you back when what really matters is who you are becoming and the future that you want to build for yourself. Think about who you envision yourself to be in the years to come and consider what you think your priorities, lifestyle and mindset might be. Then, ask yourself if your current goals move you closer to these things or whether they will get in the way.

Out with the old, in with the new

So some of your career goals are outdated and need to be replaced – how do you do that?

The trick to setting goals that work for you begins with having clarity. Reflect on what matters to you, then you can come up with goals that feel both meaningful and realistic. Break them into small, achievable steps and keep them flexible. Check in regularly and adjust them as you grow. Success isn’t about sticking to plans rigidly, but rather creating new ones that actually fit with your life.

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Words by Hellen Wallace

Photographs: Pexels

Text Courtesy of Balanced Life