How to gain momentum and progress towards your goals
There are times when I feel as if my progress towards my goals is lacking. For example, I just ended what felt like a never-ending job search. During that season my momentum waned with each rejection letter and my productivity towards my overarching career goals suffered. I made the decision a few months ago to redefine my goals in an effort to gain momentum and increase my productivity. Here are some ways working mothers increase productivity through goal setting.
The Importance of Goals
Goals are our desired results. Our strategy is our guide!
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– Career Mom Community, LLC
http://www.careermomcommunity.com
Goals set the tone for our ambitions. We can set goals for pretty much anything. Here is a quick list of eight (8) goal categories:
- Wellness
- Financial
- Professional
- Spiritual
- Self-improvement
- Family
- Social/ Relational
- Future/ Long-term
Setting goals within each of these categories provides motivation for our daily activities.
Delayed Progress
I believe motivation decreases when we feel we are not moving closer to our goals. I can recall times when I gave up on a goal because I did not see any progress. One of the reasons I enjoy traditional planners is the satisfaction of checking things off of my to-do list and checking off goals that have been accomplished. Many planners with whom I’ve had conversations have echoed these sentiments. Seeing tangible progress, in my opinion, increase motivation and productivity.
When to Redefine Your Goals
Key indicators that it is time to redefine goals include:
- Lack of motivation
- Change in circumstances and new developments
- Lack of results
- Deep desire to pivot
Making the decision to pivot instead of persist is not a bad thing. I would even argue that knowing when to pivot is just as important as initial goal setting. It shows growth and wisdom.
As I mentioned above, I took my “never ending” job search dilemma as an opportunity to redefine my career goals. It provided me an opportunity to self-reflect, dig deeper into my purpose, and gain enhanced clarity. What I uncover was that I selling myself short on my ambitions.
Check out this blog post Setting Career Growth Goals – Career Mom Community!
Amplifying Goals to Increase Productivity and Momentum
In my case, I made the decision to amplify my goals. I set my sights on higher lever positions, in which I could transfer my skills, and excel. I took an unconventional approach which for me was just the motivation that I needed to persevere.
In addition to amplifying my goals I took the time to revisit dormant goals. For example, one of my personal goals was to increase networking. Typically, I am more reserved and introverted but I could not let that continue to be an excuse. I made the conscious decision to add a networking cadence and check-ins with my mentors to my schedule. As a result, I had more productive coffee chats and meaningful connections.
Lastly, I redefined my career goals and set my sights on both a pivot and intentional progress. My goals did not drastically change but they output became more clear. This provided me with the momentum to pursue a promotional opportunity that was the right fit and well above my initial expectation.
To Wrap it Up
It’s important to revisit our goals. They provide us with a focal point for our time and daily tasks. Keeping our goals relevant ensure we maintain momentum an productivity.
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