While there’s never a bad time to set new goals, there sure is something about a fresh new year that boosts motivation! As you take a look at your plans for personal development this year, get a fresh perspective on where you could be going by using your soft skills to guide your goal setting.
Reflect on Where You Currently Stand
When it comes to tackling big goals, it’s important to start with small steps. In order to see how far you have to go, take a look at where you are right now. The skills you possess and the resources you have available can impact the way you set and achieve your goals. Take inventory of what you already have at your fingertips, and keep that into consideration as you determine where you want to go.
Setting Goals with Soft Skills
Next, it’s time to make a plan for what you want to achieve and how you’ll get there. While there are a lot of the goals that might seem like they only require hard skills – such as a certain level of education or required certifications – the truth is that soft skills are the power behind these achievements! By simply being aware of the soft skill strengths you possess, you will be able to better understand how you approach situations and what motivates you, as well as be better equipped to set and reach attainable goals.
Let’s say you want to grow your professional network in the year ahead. Before committing to this goal, it’s important to ask yourself questions about your personality. Are you an introverted person or do you tend to seek a spotlight? If you take the time for self reflection, you can determine what a realistic goal looks like for you and better plan the necessary steps to reach it. For example, if you take a while to warm up around new people, you might make a goal to connect with a certain number of people on LinkedIn each month. However, a more extroverted person might look up conferences or large virtual events that provide an opportunity to dive right into new relationships. Although the end goal is the same, to grow your network, the path to get there might look different from person to person.
Develop a Clear Path Forward
Now that you have a better understanding of where you currently are, take a look at where you want to be and determine a clear path to get there. If you can’t see a plausible way to reach your goal, reevaluate how to set realistic goals in the right direction.
After all, the soft skills you have today can empower your growth tomorrow! Understanding the way you structure your day or what motivates you can help you determine the best way to create a path to your goal. Other goals can be reached by developing soft skills you may not currently use as much. For example, if you have a professional goal to move into a management position at work, you might want to develop some of the most in-demand skills that businesses are looking for when hiring for leadership positions. According to The Balance Careers, these areas of focus can include communication skills, empathy and flexibility.
Whether the path forward utilizes existing skills or is developed with soft skills growth in mind, it’s important to write everything down. Committing to goals mentally is a great first step, but putting them to paper or a digital space helps to make them real. Include checkpoints at regular intervals throughout your journey in order to track progress and adjust goals along the way.
What Are You Waiting For? Get Started!
There’s no time like the present when it comes to self-improvement. Take some time to reflect on the strengths you currently possess, then determine how you can use those skills to get to where you want to be.
Ready to discover your soft skill strengths and improve your goal setting this year? Take our free MyPrint assessment today by clicking here!