30 Day Career Launcher : Day 1: Defining Your Career Goals : How to set clear and achievable career objectives
Visvanathan Sambasivam
?? Mentor, Teacher, Coach ???? Founder, Growth Catalysts Hub ?? Lifelong Learner ??Executive Director, CPG, Retail & Shopper, NielsenIQ ?? 28+ yrs of Consumer Insights & Market Research
Have you read “Alice in Wonderland”?
A very famous and profound discussion happens between Alice and the Cheshire Cat. It goes like this:
Alice: "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
Cheshire Cat: "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
Alice: "I don’t much care where—"
Cheshire Cat: "Then it doesn’t matter which way you go."
Well. This conversation should guide all of us. Unless we are clear about where we want to go, creating or consulting a map is a useless exercise. If you don’t know where you are where you're heading, you cannot decide on the path to be taken.
This idea resonates with life’s broader theme: if you lack a defined purpose or objective, it doesn't matter which choices you make or where life takes you.
This couldn’t be truer when it comes to your career. Defining clear career goals is the first step toward building the future you want. Without a clear target, you’re likely to drift, and before you know it, you’re in a job that doesn’t really excite or fulfill you.
But how exactly do you define your career goals? Let’s break it down into simple, easy actionable steps that you can start applying today!
1. Take Stock of Where You Are Right Now
Before you set off on a new path, you need to know where you stand.
Ask yourself: What skills do I have? What do I enjoy doing? What are my values?
Let’s take Sanjana as an example. Sanjana was working in a sales role at a tech company, but she always had a passion for digital marketing. After some reflection, she realized her strengths lay in communication, creativity, and understanding customer needs—skills that aligned well with marketing. By assessing where she was, Sanjana was able to see the gap between her current role and her desired role, which helped her plan a course of action to make the switch.
2. Identify Your Long-Term Career Aspirations
Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? It doesn’t have to be a specific title like “Chief Marketing Officer,” but it could be more about the kind of work you want to do or the impact you want to make. Are you looking for leadership positions? Want to work in a specific industry or for a particular company? Do you want to work in specific roles? Specific sectors? verticals?
One of my students, Arun, who started as an entry-level engineer, always knew he wanted to move into management. He wasn’t sure exactly how to get there, but once he defined his long-term goal (becoming a team leader within 5 years), he was able to start taking steps, like taking on smaller leadership roles in projects and gaining certifications in management. He also decided to do his MBA so that he can land that role in a firm manner and he is well on his way to achieving all of this.
Note down where you want to be. Jot down your vision.
Don't hesitate to dream big - however humble and difficult your present circumstances are.
Remember the story of Dr.APJ? His story is a great lesson and guidance to all of us!
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – The Missile Man of India
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, born in a small coastal town in Tamil Nadu, India, grew up in a humble environment. As a child, he helped his father by distributing newspapers to support the family. But deep within, he nurtured a passion for science and technology. Instead of being deterred by his circumstances, he made up his mind to make a significant contribution to his country.
He pursued aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology and eventually joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His relentless focus on innovation and his vision for a self-reliant India drove him to lead projects like India’s first satellite launch vehicle (SLV). His efforts resulted in launching satellites and developing ballistic missiles, earning him the nickname “Missile Man.”
But more than his technological achievements, it was his dedication to his purpose that stood out. He believed in dreaming big, setting clear goals, and working tirelessly toward them. As we all know, he went onto become the President of India, inspiring countless young Indians to pursue their dreams, no matter where they start from.
3. Break Down Your Goals into Achievable Steps
Once you’ve set a long-term goal, it’s time to work backward. What smaller milestones can you hit along the way? Breaking down your goal into manageable pieces will make it less overwhelming and help you stay motivated.
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Lets take a closer look at how Sanjana went about her decision to move into digital marketing: When Sanjana decided to move into digital marketing, she didn’t jump right into applying for marketing manager roles. Instead, she broke it down into concrete steps with a clear timeline for each of them.
Breaking it down like this made the whole process feel more achievable. Within a year, Sanjana had made the transition! So, think about the steps you need to have to move towards that goal. Think about the sequencing of the steps. Think about the timelines by which you want to achieve these.
4. Stay Flexible but Focused
Life happens, and your goals might change—and that’s okay! What’s important is that you stay adaptable while keeping your long-term aspirations in mind. Career paths aren’t always linear, and sometimes you’ll take detours. The key is to keep checking in with yourself to make sure the direction still feels right.
I can think of the example of Anil, who had planned to become a data scientist but ended up enjoying working as a data analyst. He realized he didn’t need to stick rigidly to his original goal, and by adjusting his career path slightly, he found a role that was both challenging and enjoyable.
5. Take Action Today
You don’t need a perfect plan to get started. Begin by taking one small step today—figuring out what you really want to be and your current status. Take an inventory of what you enjoy doing. Take an inventory of all your strengths and also your weaknesses - as you see them. Write down your dreams. Write down where you want to be 5-10 years down the line : which industry? what kind of roles? What level / positions?
Now, look at where you are, your current skill set and where you want to be - the gap.
Think about how to start filling this gap. Think about what kind of experience and expertise you need to fill this gap.
These tiny steps can lead to big progress over time.
Remember, your career is your journey. By defining clear goals and staying committed, you’ll be on the road to success before you know it.
What actions should you take : Your Action Summary:
If you are more of a audio - visual person and would rather like to see / listen to this, check out my video on youtube : https://youtu.be/83Vpnrw9ZdI (it is a 16 minute video)
If you want a 1 minute + version, check out my instagram reel : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAnz_uLP6gm/
If you want to learn a little more about how you can create this magic, please feel free to get in touch with me. You may want to check out my course: "Unlocking the Secrets to Getting that Dream Job"??
Crafted with the 6 Step Career G.R.O.W.T.H Framework, this course has 6 Sections, 14 Modules, 85+ lectures, 15 hours of Video lectures, 30+ PDF Downloadable resources & 4 Mega PDF Resource Bundles to help you get going!
In case you know someone who is embarking on their career journey or someone who is feeling stuck in their career, share this with them - this course might be of some help to them!
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About the Author: ?Visvanathan Sambasivam
I am a corporate professional, having worked as a Marketing / Consumer Insights professional in various Indian and Global MNCs for the last 30 years, with a passion for mentoring, teaching, and coaching; with a vision of helping 1 million people in their personal and professional growth.
I write regularly on LinkedIn & Facebook and have mentored many people in their professional journey.