Are You Still Determined to Reach Your Goals?

     As we’re about to enter the third month of 2012, a question that I have for you is “How are you doing on those goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year?”  Ideally many of you are still on the path toward what you were looking to achieve when you set out two months ago.  Perhaps others have not gotten as far as they like at this point, but have not yet let go of their aspirations.  Others may not have yet gotten started, while still others may have already cast aside the goal and gone on in a completely different direction, or perhaps just kept up with the status quo of what had not worked for them before.

     In turning the page of the Inspirations calendar to March, I was greeted with the word DETERMINATION in big bold letters.  Supporting that thought was the quote of the month which read “Demanding the most of ourselves lifts us to greater heights”.  It is usually likely when someone achieves a significant accomplishment in their life, along with the talent and skill that helped them to reach it, that a great deal of determination also went into the effort.  I continue to see this with my clients and also as I continue to build my practice, while obstacles are going to continually come up, those who continue to move forward are those who have convinced themselves that the current state of their life is no longer acceptable to them. 

    I work with clients in job search and career change predominantly.  On average in 2010 it was taking individuals about 35 weeks to find a new job once being unemployed.  That’s a long time obviously, and for many it was far longer than that.  Even the best of job searchers during that time period found that it took them on average approximately 16 weeks to find a new position.  That is still four months, which when measured in the day to day efforts of seeking out contacts, doing research on companies and opportunities, going on interviews, preparing a resumé and cover letter, etc. can still have significant periods of discouragement.  Your determination to see your goals and next steps to fruition is something no one can take from you.  It is something which truly belongs to you and only you can talk yourself out of not being determined to move forward to achieve that which it is you set out to do.

    On the Motivations calendar, the scene is of a gentleman sitting on a high cliff looking out on the massive canyon before him.  Imagine that he is a mountain climber.  Individuals who take up that activity are very determined individuals.  They are not able to necessarily scale that which they are setting out to climb immediately.  It takes well measured steps.  It takes patience and persistence along the way.  It takes the reality that there will be starts and stops, and maybe even paths that are not straight to get to the summit of where they want to end up.  The really dedicated climber sets out with the realization that the journey to get to the summit is not going to be easy, but it is of importance to them to stay the course and reach their goal.

    As we move forward into 2012, assess where you are in reaching those mountain tops you have set for yourself this year.  How determined are you to continue to climb?  Reward yourself for your progress to date and at the same time realize that you are on a journey to your eventual goal.  And, if that goal is going to have you accomplish something which you have not done before or is significantly more meaningful to you than what you have done to date, remember that only you have the power over the level of determination that is needed to get you there.