Here's what you actually need to achieve your goals
Here’s our top five proven ways to create realistic goals and actually stick to them.
Research shows that only 8% of the resolutions we set last year are actually being achieved. According to the Harvard Business Review there's a number of reasons we don't fulfil our goals - with being too vague ranking amongst the top reasons for failure.
Goal setting itself is an art. We've come up with constructive advice to make sure your career resolutions are achievable, well-planned, and above all - inspiring.
1. Find your inspiration
Bringing ambitious and entrepreneurial minds together? An obvious move for enthusiastic CAs looking for inspiration. It can spark a whole new way of thinking, a new way of working, and help you realise your dreams. Hearing from other CAs - especially the trailblazers - can build a positive mindset and seet behaviours to bring out the natural leader within.
But how do you find the conversations and inspiration that will keep you accountable and help you stick to your goals? Try networking with like-minded professionals at our exciting programme of events in the UK and overseas. You can also connect and network with your peers and keep up to date with the latest industry news via our social media channels. Find us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2. Create mini-goals
Whilst goal setting is essential for developing a clear vision, creating milestones that lead up to your ultimate goal is the key to success. Think of a mountain climber - they don’t start with Everest. They start small and keep their eye on the much bigger prize. We are much more likely to reach the end goal when we have incremental steps which are specific and measurable, and let us either adjust or reaffirm that we're making realistic progress.
3. Build a game plan
You are accountable for your own success - so aim high and be specific about what you want. Take your first-class business skills and apply them to making your career thrive. Discover what you need to do (and what you need to stop doing) to achieve your ambitions. It'll help you work out realistic time lines and set short term targets. Document these objectives, develop a practical strategy to achieve them, and then plan what actions you need to take.
4. Get emotional
When you think about achieving career success, you need to think outside the box. Keeping up-to-date technically is one area where you'll be expected to be professional adept, but also take time to focus on the non-technical elements of your skill set. Focus on communication, emotional intelligence, and adaptability - these are just as likely to get you noticed, if not more so.
5. Skill-up
Which leads us on nicely to upping your skills. If you're looking for something that will set you apart from the crowd, ICAS has a range of CPD opportunities and support available for you. Our lead training partner BPP Professional Development has designed an exclusive introductory CPD welcome offer for newly-qualified ICAS members, to help support you with developing your core skills. The offer includes:
- A free online NQ course pack
- 50% discount off your first face-to-face or Online Classroom Live course booking*
*To redeem the Offer, ICAS members must call BPP on 0330 060 3303 or email LDicas@bpp.com to place the booking quoting the reference “PDICASNEW” and their ICAS membership number when making their booking for a face to face PD Course or for an Online Classroom Live PD Course. To redeem the free online PD Course pack, members must visit the following website, log in to their ICAS account, and follow the Offer instructions on the website: https://www.icas.com/members/newly-qualified/continuing-professional-development/cpd-resources/nq-course-pack. This NQ offer is subject to BPP Terms and Conditions. You must be a newly-admitted ICAS member to take advantage of this offer. The offer ends on 1 February 2024.
And for all members we have free online resources such as webinars and video updates for quick and easy development. And there's even a host of careers focused content to keep you motivated and inspired.