Balancing Goals, Growth and Career development

I have discussed goals vs. growth and how it maps to career development over the last decade numerous times. If offered a penny for each of these conversations, I would have enough to buy lunch for two, substantial enough for me to write a blog about it.

First of all, let us define a goal. A goal is definitive. It is a milestone. It has a particular set of attributes that binarily depict if you have achieved it or not.

Growth per the dictionary is an increase in size. In this context, growth is personal growth, either in skill, expertise, experience, learnings, and/or perspectives.

Career Development is growth with a focused lens on one's career. Career development is the answer to "what do you want to be when you grow up?"; only, you are no longer a child. It is the answer to what is next when you are at a crossroads in your life." or its equivalent, "… in your career."

The above 3 aspects are immensely hard to balance and focus on individually much less together. The challenges are

• The need for career growth and development can blind you of progress/ growth happening in your current role/function.
• Growth is constant and ongoing. Without defined goals along the path, you will quickly feel a sense of plateau. (See realistic goal setting)
• If a mentor has already highlighted areas of growth for you, trust me when I say that your career development aligns on the same path.

3 key aspects with respect to Goals, career development and growth are

1. Goals are finite. It is straightforward to think of them as milestones. Achieving them, however, takes constant learning (growth), acquisition of knowledge, and application towards the attainment of said goals while also mastering the application of the skill.
2. Career development is the combination of the tangible and intangible by-product of attaining a specific set of goals, which in turn is enabled by acquisition, application, and ongoing mastery of a particular set of skills. Career development also equates to one transitioning roles upward or laterally to achieve an aspirational destination.
3. Growth is infinite. It is a continuum as you go from goal to goal and from one role/job/function to another.

This is described pictorially below. As you move away from the center, the journey is longer. There are infinite pathways of going from one concentric circle to the next.

Let us break down the above graphic a little bit. The concentric circles depict functional new roles, responsibilities, titles and or jobs. The path taken from one circle to the next on the periphery is the journey you will need to take in order to gain skills, attain goals and grow to move to the next goal. Additionally, there might be aspirational goals (long term) that you might have when you start your career that might evolve to different goals as a function of your journey. (hence the depiction of the two aspirational goals, one in red and the other in black).

Key takeaways from the graphic

• Your journey is unique. Don't attempt mimicking another individual's journey in the attempt to attain similar goals.
• Irrespective of your aspirational goal or the job transitions and your journey, you will always be growing. The key is to never stall along the way and continue to acquire, apply and master skills.
• No two skills are the same. Some will take longer to acquire, apply and master over time. So be patient.
• There is no straight line to success; from where you are today to you in your career 20 years from now. You will meander laterally sometimes and that is OK. You are gaining much-needed experience...
• Experience is an immense teacher. So enjoy the experience as you acquire it.

Remember. Stay uncomfortable to some percentage always in your jobs. It will keep you on your toes and on point. When the comfort level rises, pivot your focus to gaining experience and perspective. Trust your instinct. Once your instinct tells you, to transition, define what that would look like on paper and chart a plan. Always execute.

As John Maxwell said " Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." Choose wisely!