Knowing how to set work goals is one of the skills that separate the people who stay at the same dead end job versus those who move on to better jobs and/or the upper levels of management. When you boil away all the fluff, jargon, etc,, of any successful business, it's all about setting goals. In fact, nearly every company of any size has what's called a mission statement, and that statement is nothing but an overarching goal that sums up the big picture of what the firm is trying to accomplish.
Unfortunately, you don't really get any classes in college on how to set work goals. This is unfortunate, because if we had classes like this in college, and everyone who earned a Bachelor's degree in business was required to take one, American productivity would probably be far higher than it is right now. Anyone who isn't working on accomplishing a goal is simply spinning their wheels and stagnating. And don't think your bosses won't notice. They will. Yes, they will assign you goals to work toward, but the difference between the run of the mill employee and the superstar who rises to the top is that one group knows how to set work goals for themselves without having them assigned, and the other waits to be told what to do. One is stagnating, while the other pursues their goals with gusto.
So you are reading this to find a starting point of how to begin to set some work goals. First, this really is all about you. You need to first ask and answer these questions:
1. Are you happy with your company?
2. If yes, how high do you want to move in the company?
3. If no, how is your current job moving you to where you want to be?
4. If it isn't, then what field do you want to get in and how high do you want to move within that field?
While these questions are short and to the point they will start moving you forward. After you answer them you will have a mission statement, much like big businesses have.
You've simply got to learn how to set goals if you want to maximize your career success. It's not something that really comes naturally to a lot of people. If you have a mentor at work or in your field who's an inspiration to you, you can ask them how they got to the position they are in: what kind of education, special training, connections, or portfolio they have. They might be able to help.
Also, seek out online resources for how to set work goals and accomplish them. Once you do, and you start putting them to work, you'll be surprised at how much more you can accomplish, not just in your workplace, but personally as well.
