Anything that you do not plan for, it is highly unlikely that you will achieve. In your career and life, goals must be set, so that there is something to strive towards. They make your future clearer, as you know where you are going. These goals will define every action you take, and enable you to live a life full of purpose.
A lot of people create a distinction between their careers and their personal lives. Often setting separate goals for each. However, your career has a direct influence on your life, and the dynamic works the same in the opposite direction. Therefore, when you set your goals, set them knowing that your career is part of your life and that the goals should reflect that.
To understand the importance of setting goals, you need to realize that life is not static it is always moving forward. There is an old adage, that whoever does not stand for something will fall for anything. If you do not set life goals, to be achieved within a certain period of time, then you will find yourself a drift in life with no success to speak off.
How To Set Goals?
First of All Take a Personal Inventory
Analyze your current position. Assess the skills you have acquired, what are your interests, and finally what are your strengths. As you embark on your nursing journey, these will aid you. The skills you have acquired will determine how far you can go if you want career advancement as a nurse. Your interest will define what fields you will venture into, and your strengths will give you an edge over other candidates in those fields.
Examining yourself, will also ensure that you know what it is that you want in life. Where do you see your life going in the short-term? Or where do you see yourself going in the long-term? Once you have identified these, you can proceed to the next stage.
Set Your Goals
In this step based on your interest and desires, set your plans for the future. This means actually outlining them with pen and paper. Writing goals down makes them real in your mind, and causes your brain to develop a certain pattern of thinking.
When you place your goals on paper, list them in order of priority, and whether they are short term goals or long term goals. This list will define every step you take from here onwards. It is fine to come back to the list in the future and add something new that you would like to achieve, or remove something from the list that you either cannot achieve or are not interested in achieving.
Research
The last step is to do research. Research to identify the means by which you will achieve these goals. Be it taking a night class, or traveling to another city to find a better paying job. Information is power, and through research you acquire the knowledge required to set you on the path to your success.
So set your goals now, in order to cut a clear path towards your ultimate success.