Quite often, when we set goals for ourselves, we set goals in ways that do no more for us than make us feel good at that moment. We set goals such as: “I’m going to find a new job within the next two weeks that pays me $5,000 more per year than my last job.” Or, even better, “I’m going to lose 10 pounds before my sister’s wedding.”
These are not goals—these are dreams. To make them become our reality, we need to focus on identifying what specific activities we need to grasp today to ensure we succeed tomorrow. Whenever we raise the bar on our goals and dreams, and reach for more, it is essential that we increase the amount of work we are currently doing to guarantee our goals become a reality.
For instance, if your goal is to increase your annual earnings by $5000, you need to boost your personal efforts aimed at that goal. You can’t just keep doing what you’re currently doing and expect things to improve on their own. It’s highly unlikely that someone is going to come to your house, knock on your door, and offer you a job that gives you an immediate $5K raise! To make things happen we all must increase our efforts and activities if we are seeking increased benefits.
One activity you can easily do is to objectively review your current resume/CV to determine if it’s representative of someone who should earn the salary you’re seeking—if not, its time to enhance it. Do you need to attend a seminar or take some courses to earn a certificate? How about exhibiting a new skill to gain some other third-party acknowledgement that you have additional skillfulness and, therefore, are deserving of the additional income? Perhaps it is time for you to consider the option of totally shifting career fields. After all, if you are brushing against that proverbial glass ceiling, you can leave this career field and enter one with a higher ceiling.
Leaders who succeed take control of their lives and don’t wait for others to hand them opportunities. They don’t believe they’re owed anything, but they will take the time to figure out what kind of glass cutter, or skills, they need to cut through or around the current obstacles to achieve their goals.
There’s a great maxim that supports these thoughts:
“Insanity is doing things the same, and expecting things to change.”
The bottom line for us all is if we want more—we’ve got to give more. The more we give, the more we learn…the more we learn, the more we achieve. It’s all connected, but it all starts with your desire and your effort. What are you waiting for?
Copyright MMII – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
