Episode 5: Gen Y

Setting Goals for Your Future

Social Psychologist, Dr Dina McMillan:
It feels as though the moment you get close to being an adult, everyone begins asking you what goals you have for the future. It’s a variation on ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ with added presumption that you have the answer.

Even if you’re lucky enough to have an answer, how can you be certain your desire is sustainable? What happens if you start working toward your career of choice only to find you hate it? Or if you put all of your energy in it only to discover you’re not very good at it? You can’t be expected to know if you haven’t tried it out before.

At school you probably discussed careers with various teachers and maybe even did aptitude and personality tests to determine a suitable career fit. But even if those tests were accurate, you know you’ve changed considerably since high school. You want a career that reflects who you are now, as an adult. You’re determined not to spend the bulk of your waking hours slogging away just to pay the mortgage you want to be challenged and fulfilled. You want a life worth living.

Most experts know it’s worth setting a firm goal and determining a plan even if you change your mind later. The process of focusing your attention so you can put your ideas on paper hones your ability to think ahead and establish clear direction.

Writing things down also sharpens and quietens the mind. Knowing you’re writing a plan for your future will make you think about what you’re doing and where you’re headed. If you look at this plan as something you’ll keep and refer to at a later date, you’ll really put effort into considering where you’re headed.
 

Think about what you want in your life in six months, one year, two years and five years. Here is a short list to get you started:

• Where do you want to live? In the same place you are now? In an exotic foreign city?
   
• If you’re moving away, do you know anyone in the new location? If it’s overseas, have you looked up the visa and employment requirements?
   
• What sort of job do you plan to have in six months, twelve months and five years?
   
• If you don’t have a specific job in mind, consider characteristics instead of titles. What aspects of a job do you find pleasing? Place these in a ‘yes’ column. What things do you find overwhelming? Place these in a ‘no’ column. Then, ask an employment counsellor for some suggestions on professions that will best suit your personality and lifestyle.
   
• Do you have the qualifications for the type of job you want?

When you’re doing this, some items will be statements such as, ‘In six months I plan to work as an acrobat for the Cirque de Soleil’. Other parts of the plan will include a category called ‘More information needed’.

After you write down your goals and plans, show it to people you trust, preferably those with more life experience. You can also look up an employment counsellor or recruitment agent and get an impartial opinion. Remember, the best advice will come from a person who’s made the same or similar journey.