This week, we will examine how to reconnect with your career aspirations, the crucial objectives you strive to fulfill through your employment, such as moving into an IT leadership role or achieving financial security. These ambitions can range from significant to minor, short-term to long-term, but regardless of their magnitude, they always embody your personal values and beliefs.

However, just because your aspirations hold significance for you, it doesn’t imply they receive the time, focus, and nurturing they genuinely warrant. Life becomes chaotic, workloads increase, and many of us end up sidelining our ambitions for extended periods. As we highlighted in our discussion on re-engaging with work, a recent Gallup study reveals that employee disengagement is at an almost record-high in the United States—and a significant aspect of this trend is the inability to derive meaning from one’s work.

Re-establishing your career aspirations can be a vital step toward rejuvenating your professional journey. Gaining this insight might be pivotal not just for enhancing your job satisfaction but also for progressing to the next phase of your career. Let’s delve deeper.

1. Reacquaint yourself with your what and your why

The initial action toward re-aligning your career aspirations is to clearly define them. After all, pursuing your objectives is far simpler when you understand what they entail and the reasons behind wanting to achieve them.

Spend some time pondering what you wish to attain in your career. This will vary for each individual, but some frequent career aims include switching jobs, aiming for professional growth, and securing job stability. Aim for clarity by being as detailed as possible, such as “earn an IT certification” or “understand prompt engineering.”

Quick tip: If you find it challenging to define your aspirations, take a look at our previous article on enhancing your goals with ChatGPT.

Once you ascertain your “what,” focus on your “why.” In other words, why is this goal significant to you? Your “why” will serve as your strongest incentive as you pursue your objectives. Armed with this clarity, you’ll be in an excellent position to place your aspirations back at the forefront of your career and strategize your next moves (the “how” of your career aspirations).

2. Create (both literal and figurative) space for your goals.

As the proverb states: out of sight, out of mind. To guarantee that you don’t lose track of your goals, it’s beneficial to carve out both literal and figurative space for them.

From establishing weekly review reminders to filling your workspace with visual representations, there are myriad ways to prioritize your professional aims in your daily routine. Feel free to combine strategies or explore different methods that resonate with you. To inspire you, consider the following common practices:

• Allocate time: Intentionally dedicating time in your schedule to review and strategize your objectives can be an effective way to remain conscious of them. You might also contemplate setting alerts on your phone, automating email reminders, and placing post-it notes around your environment to prompt regular consideration of your professional goals.

• Envision your goals for motivation: Imagining your aims can help make them feel tangible and spur you into action toward achieving them. Have fun: create a vision board of your ideal career in your workspace, change your screensaver to a goal-related picture, or carry a productivity journal to keep your professional targets in mind. Whatever suits you best.
• Engage an accountability partner: Collaborating with another individual as an accountability partner can ensure that your goals receive the attention they merit. Although a professional mentor may be ideal, don’t hesitate to partner with a colleague or trusted friend if that’s more suitable or comfortable.

Enhance your career aspirations with these courses

To discover how to achieve better outcomes in your workplace and studies, consider enrolling in the University of Michigan’s The Science of Success: What Researchers Know that You Should Know.

To master the art of setting goals and developing action plans, explore the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Principles of Leadership: Leading Oneself Specialization.

Lastly, if you wish to cultivate job-specific competencies, think about subscribing to Coursera Plus. Gain access to over 7,000 courses from leading organizations like Google, Microsoft, IBM, Meta, and more—currently $120 off the annual fee for a limited period.

That wraps up this week’s discussion. Before you leave, we’re curious: what are some of your career aspirations, and how do you create space for them? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Until next time!

P.S. Excited for more career guidance? Check out our latest podcast, Still at Work, hosted by Kim Taylor, Coursera’s Head of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Tune in for discussions on topics such as burnout, networking, and navigating career transitions.

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