Setting Career Goals - 12 Questions to Consider

By Kaleb Jones

When it comes to landing the perfect job, most people have in mind what they would consider their "dream job." It may include the lifelong dream to become a firefighter and follow in your father's footsteps or perhaps you've always loved to paint and wish you could make it a full-time career. While the majority of people have dreams for themselves, it is less often that individuals actively pursue these desires.
This is why brainstorming to set career goals is a great way to further yourself in the world. First, grab a piece of paper and a pen, so you may take down the answers to the questions listed below. Some people find that additional questions may arise during this process, which you can easily add to your list and answer as well. In the end, you will be able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages associated with each of your potential career paths.
1) What Is Your Dream?
This may seem like an easy question to answer, but some people have never stopped to think about this subject. For some, the question is easy to answer and may include more than one dream. Individuals having trouble coming up with an answer to this question should brainstorm about the interests and hobbies that cause enjoyment in their life. This may help come to a conclusion.
2) Is Your Dream Practicable?
Your dream may include climbing Mt. Everest, setting up your own daycare center, or visiting a foreign country – but can it become a career? It is important to categorize your dreams as either a career-bound journey or something you can turn to for fun.
3) Do You Have Any Problems That Threaten the Pursuit of Your Dreams?
There are certain medical or physical impairments that cause a person to hang up certain dreams because the probability of achieving a particular desire is far too great. This may include dreams that are limited by others and not by determination or motivation. This may include the dream of flying fighter jets overseas, yet the dreamer lacks the eyesight needed to fulfill requirements.
4) Does the Dream Require A Certain Degree of Education, Time, or Money?
In order to achieve some dreams, there is a certain amount of education, time, and money needed to make things happens. If you want to become a doctor, you need to attend medical school, which includes many years of study. Perhaps, you want to open up your own dance studio. This means you need enough money to rent out a building and pay for supplies.
5) Do You Have Any Skills That Will Aid Your "Dream" Job?
Sometimes, the journey towards achieving your dream job is softened when you possess additional skills to make the path much easier. An example of this includes possessing a degree in Spanish when pursuing a photojournalist job in Puerto Rico.
6) Are You Financially Able to Pursue Your Dream?
Your finances will affect your ability to pursue your career dream. Some people need to take out a student or personal loan, while others may rely on a savings account.
7) If You Are Unable to Quit Your Current Job, Can This Dream Be Achieved On a Part-Time Basis?
Some people do not have the luxury of quitting their current means of income and must find other ways of coming closer to their dreams, such as attending night classes or taking a second job.
8) What Makes Your Dream(s) So "Ideal"?
When you are able to pinpoint what makes your dream so appealing to yourself, you may come up with similar ideas that will better fit into your current circumstances. It is important to find what drives you.
9) How Would You Feel If You Achieved Your Dream?
In other words, how important are the goals you will set for yourself – will you find true happiness, assist your family in enjoying a better life, or feel good that you were able to help out your community? Will your dreams boost your self-esteem and confidence and place you where you want to be in life?
10) What Are the Negative You Automatically Feel About Your Dreams?
Some people automatically gain a bad feeling about their dreams for many different reasons, which only decreases the chances of achieving goals. Perhaps you feel your goals will take too long to accomplish or you are depressed about your current financial situation. These are the types of things you need to overcome in order to succeed.
11) Does Anything About Your Dreams Scare You?
Overcoming the things that scare you about your dreams is an important part of the process. Some people avoid setting career goals because they fear rejection, failure, or what others may think.
12) Do You Have Outside Support For When You Attempt to Pursue Your Dreams?
Individuals are more likely to achieve their dreams if they have the backing of family and friends. It is pretty hard to overcome obstacles, internal fears, and reach goals when there are negative voices whispering in your ear. This is the time when you jot down some of your main supporters.
After you have completed your brainstorming list, you have entered a process that should have enlightened your prospective regarding your future. Overall, you should be able to better set the goals that help you achieve the kind of career you wish to pursue.
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