How to Make Your Success Plan for Your Career

Introduction

Planning is one of those things that is both essential, but daunting. It's essential because just like a vacation trip needs a map to get to the destination, so does a career, but it's daunting because most people don't actually know where they want to go in their lifetime. Time and time again I have asked people the simple question of "What are your goals in life?" and I get either a blank stare of "How dare you ask the question," or the person tells me they've never thought about it. Very rarely do I get someone to answer with a detailed plan; so in this article, I will be discussing the steps required to make a successful plan for your career, as is often discussed in the Jordan Harbinger Show.

How to Make Your Success Plan For Your Career

Most people finish high school and go to college, where a plan is already given to them since countless other people have gone through the same path and graduated, becoming lawyers, accountants, engineers, etc. There are other people like myself who drop out because we don't like people creating our paths for us. If you're like me, then you should pay attention to the tips I will be giving you, so that you can create the path you want, and follow it.

First, you need to see what's available. What options do you have? This is imperative because we must narrow down our focus to something we really really want. Most people give up because they find out that what they thought they wanted isn't really as they pictured once they're on the path. You must compare your options and speak with people who have done what you're trying to do to get a better idea of what's to come.

Next, you must prioritize. Yes, you may want to be an engineer, but are you actually passionate and skilled in mathematics, design, and logic? If you're not, then this may not be the path for you. Of course, you can learn to get better at these things, but if you don't have a passion for them in the beginning, your learning will be miserable. Compare the different career choices you listed in the first step by looking at salaries, job descriptions, projects, education requirements, job availability, and the experience you will need if you chose that occupation.

Think about how your choices will impact not only your own life, but the life of those around you. Will you have to move to another state and potentially lose all your friends, see family once or twice a year as opposed to everyday, and how much will it cost you to move there financially? Once you've weighed these factors and narrowed down your choices, you simply have to make a decision and move full speed ahead. DO NOT hesitate, and DO NOT overthink it. The best leaders make decisions quickly and change them slowly if ever. And like Steve Harvey says, "You're going to have to jump."

Yes, even though you've thought about it for a while you will have to ultimately jump into the unknown and trust your instincts and your vision. However, simply believing in yourself won't get the job done, so you will have to set some SMART goals for yourself and do the actions required. The SMART goals are defined as:

• SPECIFIC
• MEASURABLE
• ATTAINABLE
• RELEVANT
• TIME-BOUND

If, for example, your goal is to become an attorney, you will need to specify what kind of attorney. You will have to measure your progress, which means you need to think about the end goal and work backwards in order to create steps to follow, like "I need to get A's in all my classes." Is this goal attainable? Is the goal relevant? If you answered yes to both questions, then you need to attach a date for when you will complete the goal so that it's not just a dream.