Setting and achieving career goals can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re just entering the workforce, thinking about a career change, or aiming for the next level in your current role, the path to success is more than simple professional aspirations. Career goals are deeply intertwined with your mental health, physical health, and overall life goals. By understanding these connections and adopting a well-rounded approach, you can create a career trajectory that’s both fulfilling and sustainable.
What Are Career Goals?
Career goals are milestones that you want to achieve throughout your career. Instead of being vague like “My goal is to do my best at work,” they are specific and targeted to help you get where you want to be in your chosen industry.
Let’s say that someone has a career goal, for example, to become a senior full-stack developer. This person might set several goals to help them achieve their dreams:
And so on until they reach their dream of becoming a senior developer. Professional goals are typically like a roadmap or a ladder you can follow to reach your career aspirations. They are meant to help shape your path five to 10 years from now.
Why Do Career Goals Matter?
A career is more than just a paycheck. It can be an important part of your identity and personal fulfillment. Studies have shown that setting clear career development goals and having a strong sense of your capabilities can lead to greater fulfillment in and away from your workplace.
However, choosing career goals that aren’t in harmony with your personal life and well-being—or not having opportunities for career development at all—is one of the leading causes of burnout, stress, and job dissatisfaction. That’s why it’s important to approach career planning with a broader perspective that includes your physical health, mental health, relationships, and lifestyle.
Having clear, specific goals for professional growth helps you know where to direct your energy. If you’ve ever been in a job where you felt like you were struggling to get ahead or find purpose, that’s how a career without a plan can feel.
Of course, it’s important to stay flexible with your goals, because your interests, priorities, or values can change! What excited you about your career several years ago might not be as meaningful now. If you no longer find satisfaction in your career path, it’s totally normal to change things up. Your goals are meant to help and guide you, not tie you to a journey you don’t want.
How Do Career Goals Impact Your Life?
You’ve probably heard the phrase “work-life balance,” but the truth is that most people don’t have work on one hand and their personal life on the other so they can easily separate them. Work and life outside of the workplace are often knit together—that’s just part of being human! And since you spend so much time at your job, it makes sense that it will impact the rest of your life, too.
Mental Health
Your mental health can affect and be affected by your career goals. When you’re mentally healthy, you’re more likely to have the clarity and motivation you need to pursue your plan. However, career stress, anxiety, and depression can be caused either by not meeting your goals or by setting goals that are unrealistic or out of alignment with your values.
Let’s explore some strategies to support your mental health while you pursue career goals:
Set realistic expectations: People often set ambitious goals without accounting for the time, energy, and emotional investment they’ll require. Make sure you assess whether your goals are attainable for your current situation, resources, and support.
Pace yourself: Trying to achieve career milestones too quickly can lead to burnout. Break large goals down into smaller, more manageable steps that allow for gradual progress without overwhelming stress.
Seek support: Build a support network for guidance and emotional reinforcement. A mentor, career coach, or even a counselor can help you stay on track while keeping your mental health at its best.
Physical Health
Physical health is often overlooked in career planning, but it plays a huge role in your ability to perform at your best and succeed. If your career goals demand long hours, physical strain, or high stress, the impact on your health can derail progress. When you prioritize your physical well-being, you’ll stay productive and keep your progress sustainable.
Here are a few tips for balancing your physical health with career ambitions:
Establish healthy routines: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are foundational for maintaining energy and focus. Neglecting these can lead to fatigue, illness, or brain fog.
Know your limits: Understand when your body needs rest, and know that it’s not only okay to rest but also necessary. High-achievers often push themselves to the limit, but this can create short- and long-term health issues. Listen to your body, and don’t sacrifice your health for the hustle.
Incorporate movement: If your job involves sitting for long periods, take breaks to walk around and stretch. These small actions can prevent physical strain and make you more productive.
Life Goals
Your career goals shouldn’t exist in isolation. They need to fit within the larger context of your life goals, values, and responsibilities. For example, someone who values family time or hobbies may not be fulfilled by a career that demands more than 60 hours a week. In contrast, a person driven by ambition may thrive in high-demand environments. The key is to understand how your career fits into the bigger picture of your life.
How can you align your career and life goals?
Identify your core values: What matters most to you in life? Is it family, financial security, creativity, making a difference in the world, or something else? Clarifying your values can help you set career goals that complement your vision for your life.
Consider the long-term impact: Ask yourself where you want to be in five, 10, or even 20 years, both personally and professionally. Consider how your career will affect your personal life over time, and be open to adjusting your goals.
Be flexible: Life is unpredictable, and your career path may need to account for changes such as family responsibilities, health issues, or shifting interests. It’s important to build flexibility into your career progression to avoid feeling stuck or overwhelmed.
How to Set Career Goals
Now that you know what career goals are and how they impact every area of your life, let’s explore how to set them. There are several models of setting goals, so explore them all and choose the one that’s best for you. Don’t be afraid to change methods as you grow and explore.
The SMART System
One of the most widely recognized methods for setting goals is the SMART framework, which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It’s not the only method, but it provides a strong foundation for organizing your ambitions.
Specific: Clearly define your career goals, but also think about how it relates to other aspects of your life. For example, “I want to become a manager at my company in three years” might also mean “I want to make sure I still have time for my hobbies and family.”
Measurable: Identify concrete steps and milestones. Tracking progress toward your goal not only keeps you on track but also helps avoid feelings of stagnation, which can affect your mental health.
Achievable (or actionable): Be honest about your current resources and capabilities. Your goal should be challenging but not unrealistic. Striving for a promotion in a healthy work environment is a whole different ballgame from aiming for it in a toxic workplace.
Relevant: Your goal should align with your broader life goals. If your ambition clashes with your lifestyle, you’ll likely experience internal conflict that can create stress and dissatisfaction.
Time-bound: Set a realistic deadline, but don’t be afraid to extend it if you realize it’s affecting your health or personal life. Flexible timelines will help you maintain balance as you pursue long-term career goals.
Download this worksheet to set SMART goals
The WOOP Method
The WOOP method (wish, outcome, obstacle, plan) is a tool that emphasizes mental contrasting so you can visualize the steps necessary to achieve your goals and anticipate potential obstacles.
Wish: Clearly identify your career aspiration.
Outcome: Visualize the best possible outcome if you achieve this goal. It can help to write this down.
Obstacle: Consider what obstacles might stand in your way, whether personal or professional.
Plan: Create a step-by-step plan to overcome these obstacles.
WOOP is especially helpful for those who may struggle with procrastination or anxiety about career challenges because it helps anticipate and account for possible roadblocks.
The GROW Model
The GROW model (goal, reality, options, way forward) focuses on coaching and reflection. It’s a useful tool for those who prefer an introspective approach to setting and achieving goals.
Goal: Define your career objective.
Reality: Assess your current situation and any factors that could help or hinder your progress.
Options: Explore possible strategies or alternative paths to reach your goals.
Way forward: Decide on the most practical and achievable next steps.
GROW encourages self-awareness and critical thinking, so it’s ideal for people who prefer a reflective process.
How to Stay Motivated & Track Your Progress
Setting goals is only part of the process; maintaining motivation and tracking progress are equally important. One of the most important tips for tracking progress is to write things down. You might have a special journal where you keep up with your progress, or perhaps you’re using something digital like a spreadsheet. Writing down your goals and strategies helps keep them in your line of sight, so to speak. If they stay exclusively in your head, it can be difficult to know what to do next.
Here are some other strategies to stay on track:
Regular check-ins: Schedule periodic reviews to evaluate your progress. Are you moving closer to your goal? Do you need to adjust your approach? Regular reflection helps keep your career path aligned with your mental, physical, and life goals. If you’re working with a career coach or counselor, you can also get their feedback.
Celebrate small wins: Achieving career goals takes time, and the journey can feel long. Celebrate small milestones along the way to keep your morale high and recognize the effort you’re putting in.
Avoid comparison: Everyone’s career path is different! Comparing yourself to others can create unnecessary pressure and detract from your progress. Focus on your unique journey and how it fits into your overall life goals.
How SkillUp Can Help
At SkillUp, we offer personalized career paths to help you identify your next career, set goals, and track your progress. Some of our other services include:
Training programs: With SkillUp, you can access a wide variety of career training programs to get where you want to go.
Job support: If you’re moving into a new career field, we can help connect you with employers who are actively looking for fresh talent.
Set Goals with Your Future in Mind
Setting and achieving career goals requires more than just ambition and hard work. It’s about creating harmony between your professional aspirations and your mental, physical, and personal well-being. By approaching career planning with a holistic mindset, you can build a sustainable, fulfilling career that not only meets your professional ambitions but also supports a balanced and healthy life.
Ready to set your goals and build the career of your dreams? Visit us today to explore courses, career paths, and other opportunities to get you there.
