3 Things You Can Do (TODAY) To Simplify Your Career Goals

After 19 years in the same house, I recently realized it's time to declutter. The house is filled with things I no longer need. I want it to feel cleaner, brighter, and more functional. However, I had no idea how totally overwhelming it would be. I took to social media and asked friends and family for their insights. I got a lot of good suggestions. But, two pieces of advice seemed to be the most common.

• Tackle one room at a time. It's easier to break down the task into smaller ones.
• Have three boxes: keep, donate, and trash. Decide what to keep based on three factors: Do I use it now? Will I use it in six months? Does it have extreme sentimental value?

It was encouraging to see some universal advice. I'm giving it a try. But, it also got me thinking how similar simplifying your career goals is to decluttering your house.

When you simplify your career goals, you will find greater peace and happiness.

A survey by Work It Daily indicates 47 percent (almost half!) of the working population feels overwhelmed in their career and doesn't know how to plan their next move. I can appreciate that. When it comes to our career goals, it's easy to get bogged down by all the thoughts in our heads. The good news is, some proven advice can help you get clearer. It goes like this:

• Focus on one month at a time. You should think about what specifically you want to accomplish in your career this month. Stressing out about how far away your long-term goals are will only psyche yourself out. Instead, build a realistic gameplan for what is achievable this month and start executing consistently. For example, studies show Americans spend over an hour each day liking and looking on Facebook. Imagine what you could do if you set aside just a few minutes each day to gain knowledge and build skills related to your career goals, instead of wasting time on social media distracting yourself?
• Assess which skills to grow, and which ones to let go. In today's fast-paced workplace, there's one universal career truth, "Your skills pay the bills." Which means, it's up to you to determine which skills you should expand and improve to stay in-demand. Every job is temporary. If you want to be employable and on track with your career goals, you must regularly assess how relevant your current skill level is in the marketplace - and then adjust accordingly.

You only get results when "one day" becomes today.

In spite of the great advice I was given on how to declutter my home, none of it matters until I take action. I have to put the advice to use if I want to reap the benefits. Same goes for you and your career goals. You can keep pushing career improvement off, or you can do something today. So, I challenge you to do the following:

1. This free online Career Decoder Quiz can help you determine the skills you currently prefer to use to add value on the job. From there, you can start to focus on increasing the value you deliver to employers by maximizing your strengths.
2. Start building better career habits by participating in the Work It Daily career challenge! Each weekday at Work It Daily, we reveal a new challenge for you to complete. Just follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to access them daily. That's right, we have social media that's actually GOOD for your career!
3. Spend 20-minutes learning about the 3Cs for career improvement. I invite you to watch the short (free) tutorial I have created to help people understand the steps needed to get unstuck in their careers. I promise, it will change the way you look at managing your career forever.

Your career won't improve itself. If you declutter your mind by simplifying your career goals and spend a little time each day devoted to career improvement, you will see results. Greater professional satisfaction and more career confidence will be your reward!