Everyone who embarks on a career pursuit should know that goals are part and parcel of their success. Setting career goals is instrumental in helping you focus on achieving something relatively possible and in line with your pursuit.
Career goals refer to the main objectives one aims to achieve in a particular discipline or aspect of life, especially one’s work life. They could be short-term or long-term, and incorporating both short-term and long-term goals can help in career success.
But how can short-term goals best lead towards accomplishing long-term career goals? In this article, we shall discuss short-term and long-term goals and see how short-term goals can be instrumental in achieving long-term career goals. Let us begin with an understanding of both terminologies.
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Understanding Short-term and Long-term Goals
Short-term goals refer to objectives or desired results that people target or aim to achieve within a short period of time. It involves addressing current situations and getting immediate results. Generally, short-term goals are results expected within days, weeks, and months. Such goals are set and achieved as quickly as possible. Examples include reading one to two books monthly, taking a class, making a new friend, increasing physical activity, buying a new item, etc.
On the other hand, long-term goals refer to objectives or desired results people aim to achieve over a long space of time. Long-term goals involve strategic processes directed at a later result and are usually achievable between one year and more or in one’s lifetime. Examples of long-term goals include graduation from college, saving for retirement, learning a foreign language, setting up your own business, etc.
When setting your goals, whether short-term or long-term, you should make sure they are SMART. By that, I mean your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-sensitive. Doing so will help you focus on clearly defined objectives, follow suit, and achieve timely success.
What Makes A Short-Term Goal Easier To Achieve Than A Long-Term Goal
Generally, short-term goals are easier than long-term goals. But what makes a short-term goal easier to achieve than a long-term goal? The timing, flexibility, and feeling that come with it.
Let us assume you want to get things done in an hour, a day, a week, or a few months. The knowledge that you can achieve that success within a short timeframe creates an enthusiastic feeling that motivates you to work. More so, the fact that you can change and adapt throughout in line with the circumstances and situations makes it less painful.
Long-term goals can be laborious, as you have to commit to achieving particular results for at least one to ten years or more. It requires an amount of focus, planning, and consistent execution of strategic ideas for a long time to reach your desired result. While long-term goals are lasting, short-term goals are relaxing. They keep you going and can contribute to general success in the long run.
How Can Short-Term Goals Best Lead Toward Accomplishing Long-Term Career Goals?
Long-term career goals refer to the career goals you want to achieve over a long timeframe. It could be advancing your career, becoming a business leader, or running a financially stable business enterprise. Let me note that tasks are required activities that need to take place in order to complete a goal, and your career goals are tasks compacted.
Therefore, short-term goals will be instrumental in helping you accomplish the tasks leading to your desired long-term career expectations. To the question: how can short-term goals best lead to accomplishing long-term career goals? Fulfilling short-term goals will help you build the focus and motivation that will enable you to achieve long-term career aspirations.
Short-term goals are about taking steps forward and the little ones that matter. It is often said that it takes little drops of water to make an ocean. I would say that your long-term career goal is the ocean, and the short-term goals are the drops of water you need to make the ocean; can you see how that works out?
The reality is that you will need to achieve short-term goals to enable you to accomplish long-term career goals. So, what point am I making to you, career enthusiasts? Achieving short-term goals is the foundation and support you need to achieve career success and be accomplished.
Now, what should you do? Write down your long-term career goals; lay out the steps and stages. The steps and stages include the tasks you should accomplish to move forward. Make them SMART, and take them one after the other, one step at a time. Success is sure to those who go for it.
