Setting targets or goals is important for career development and progression. Without career goals, it is impossible to achieve greatness in life. Goals generate excitement and energy and help focus effort. They are the avenues to effect change in your life.

The starting point in goal setting is to have a clear idea about where you stand today. (Where am I now?) Thereafter, you have to work out in your mind, what you want to achieve in the future, say in 5 years. Write them down and prioritise them. Break each goal into its constituent parts and identify specific activities leading to its achievement. Imagine in your mind reaching each goal and put a time limit on its attainment. In goal setting, you receive the greatest satisfaction from using your untapped potential to achieve goals set by you, rather than goals set for you by others. Deciding what you want is often more difficult than getting what you want. You have got to know where you want to go, since you will work towards a goal only if you have a goal in mind to work towards.

Goal formulation
Is applicable to both your personal and work life, and can complement them both. For example an excellent sales person may decide to form his own company and begin selling for himself. In your personal life, goals can be set in terms of marriage, children, friends, recreation, education etc. In the case of work life, goals are normally career development, job satisfaction and recognition.

All of us, no matter how we earn our living, are in business for ourselves. Our success depends on our ability to satisfy our inner needs, which can be achieved only by satisfying the needs of others. In goal formulation, you need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. When you have identified these through critical self analysis, it is easier to accomplish goals. Your natural abilities and talents will propel you on to your goals. People who do consistently what they are best at and have fun in the process cannot help but succeed.

Goal accomplishment
When you achieve goals you have set, it is important to reflect on the actions that achieved success. This will help future goal formulation. Also when you achieve goals, do not forget to compliment yourself, which in turn leads to reassurance and confidence.

The power of dreaming
Your eventual success in life will be in direct proportion to your ability to picture yourself as a successful person. Our current state of affairs is simply the physical manifestation of our previous thinking. Likewise, our future state of affairs depends on the thoughts we are now having.It pays to dream big! Expect and anticipate great things to happen in your work and personal life. By setting your sights high, you give yourself the best chance to accomplish something above the ordinary.

Positive thinking
When setting and accomplishing goals, positive thinking is an important characteristic. For positive thinking to take place, the right attitudes must be prevalent. The altitude (heights) that you can reach in life depends on your attitude plus aptitude. The altitude relates to goal setting, whilst attitude and aptitude relate to goal accomplishment. Always have a "can do" attitude, when you are confronted with a challenging goal.

Review your goals
Goal setting is an on going process in life and it is important to reflect on your goals periodically. Certain goals may need adjustments, due to changes in circumstances, (financial, external). Do not be afraid to modify goals, in order to reflect on the present reality.

Enhance your skills
In order to accomplish more challenging goals, you need to enhance certain skills and also learn new ones. Therefore, skill enhancement is an on going activity which can be accomplished through on-the-job training, work and personal experience and continuous life long learning. Relate your skill enhancements to the goals set, so that goal accomplishment becomes much easier.

Have a thirst for knowledge
Knowledge is power, and the only competitive advantage you can retain is knowledge. For successful careers, knowledge management is a prerequisite. Have a thirst for knowledge and be prepared to receive it from varied sources at all times.

Learn from past experiences
We all have encountered positive and negative experiences in the past. It is important to utilize these experiences in setting goals and objectives. Due to negative past experiences, we must not shy-away from challenging goals. However, the required learning from the negative experience should be received.

In conclusion, ask yourself three questions namely
l What do I want to achieve in life?
l What activities do I need to carry out to accomplish my goals?
l What resources do I need to carry out the identified activities?
If you do not have answers to these questions, your self development and career progression will be seriously affected. Do not leave goal setting to others. It is your prime responsibility, especially to yourself. Goal setting and accomplishment makes you an achiever/performer. This helps you to get the best out of your life.

"Always strive to be the best you can" (Anonymous)
"Get to know yourself as a person" (Anonymous)