Why Goal Setting is Important for “Personal Branding for Dummies”

As Reach’s Chief Content Officer, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you our guest blogger for today. Randi Bussin.  Randi is a Reach Strategist and a contributing author to “Personal Branding for Dummies.”

Today’s Guest Author:

Randi Bussin, the Founder and President of Aspire!, is a career reinvention strategist, a rare quality that distinguishes her from other career coaches. She thrives on partnering with bright and successful New Englanders seeking more meaningful work aligned with their values, and reignites the internal spark and passion that has been dimmed by their current professional role. Randi guides them to gain clarity, a renewed sense of direction, and an actionable career reinvention plan.

In my work as a Career Reinvention and Personal Branding Strategist, I am amazed to discover how many people don’t take the time to think about the path they are on and where they are heading. They simply wake up in the morning, have a cup of tea or coffee, and push the autopilot button. Then later they want to know why they are spinning their wheels.

Goal setting and personal branding

There are many reasons why you should put aside some time even with your busy schedule to take a step back and think about where you are, where you want to go, and how to accomplish what is required in order to get there. Here are four reasons why I think goal setting is crucial to personal and professional happiness:

1. Clarity. It’s nearly impossible to achieve your dreams or visions if you aren’t clear about what you are trying to accomplish. If you don’t know where you are going, you likely will spend a lot of time running around in circles. Yes, you are doing lots of things, but it is important to stop and realize that you are not achieving anything. By crystallizing your ideas and desires, you will be able to focus your time, energy, and resources on what is most important to you: your goals. For example, if you are running a business, and want to increase sales in a specific geographic region, then set that as a goal, and come up with a detailed plan on how to accomplish it. Or, if you want a job that will allow you more time to spend with your family, start looking at career reinvention possibilities that will start you on the path to accomplish that goal. Almost anything is achievable if you have a proper plan.

2. Focus. Setting your goals and coming up with a plan to achieve them will give you focus. It will help you learn how best to spend your time, and it will allow you to move forward in your life with more purpose. Goals give you the laser focus you need to stay on track. They help you figure out what you’ll say yes to and what activities you must decline because they are distractions and will deter you from your real goals. Goals will challenge you to put your efforts to work in the right direction. Without this, many of us would run around like a chicken with your head cut off, engaging in a bunch of activities that have no rhyme or reason to what you want to accomplish.

3. Motivation. Without a set of goals, many lack the motivation to get focused and energized in the morning. When you know what your goals are, you are much more likely to get up in the morning with a plan of action, knowing that you are moving in the right direction. This drives you forward, brings you to your peak performance, and keeps you on the right road to achieving what you want. Having goals to achieve keeps you from wasting your time.

4. Confidence. When I set goals, I feel confident that I am doing something important for myself. Having this self-confidence also helps me to know that I am not limiting myself to what other people want me to do and achieve. As you set goals and begin to make progress toward them, you also will get a confidence boost each and every time you experience an accomplishment. Every step of the way is important. Seeing how you are meeting your goals will give you the energy to move forward to the next achievable goal or level.

So, if you are a little bit unfocused, but know what you really want to do in life, get going and make that plan. It’s time for you to set your goals, and to come up with an outline and a timeline to achieve them. Personal and professional happiness can be right around the corner.

And, if you don’t really know what you want to do, it’s time to take a big step back and examine your passions. They will lead you to the right place for you. You can then devise a plan to be the person you want to be, and work in the profession that is best suited for you. All you need to do…is set some goals and follow your heart.