15 answers
McKenzie
Student
Commodore, Pennsylvania
3
Questions
Asked
1020 views
How can I reach my goals?
I want to reach my goals for my career but I'm not sure how to get there. My goals are:
-decide on a profession
-Going to college
-getting a good career
-make money
-Succeed in whatever profession i do
Any tips to help me?
Login to comment
15 answers
Vamshee Gunturu
Principal Engineer
187
Answers
Chandler, Arizona
Updated
Vamshee’s Answer
I like the goals you put it in order, Add tasks to each goal and how to achieve them.
I like the following quotes.
"Freedom teaches discipline best"
"Success follows the Hardwork."
Hardwork and Discipline takes you long way. Brings the success and money in the life
Make good habits like reading lot, wake up early, be positive, eat and stay healthy, have fun without losing the focus on goals.
Research different professions, talk to school counselor, talk to our friends and family who can guide you on choosing right profession(s) or narrow it down to 2-3 professions.
Focus and do well in those subjects in high school, get good overall GPA, take PSAT/SAT ..
Good universities need better GPA/SAT etc., well written SOP (Statement of Purpose) and recommendation from your favorite teachers.
Research the colleges offering the major you like to be in, find out the GPA/SAT requirements.
Try to work towards getting the prerequisites and apply to them in time.
Once you get into the college, work on companies offer jobs in your field to start a good career after the college.
Getting a internship during college and getting into best companies to start career will be the first step in making money.
Hope this helps. Wish you all the best in your endeavors!!!
I like the following quotes.
"Freedom teaches discipline best"
"Success follows the Hardwork."
Hardwork and Discipline takes you long way. Brings the success and money in the life
Make good habits like reading lot, wake up early, be positive, eat and stay healthy, have fun without losing the focus on goals.
Research different professions, talk to school counselor, talk to our friends and family who can guide you on choosing right profession(s) or narrow it down to 2-3 professions.
Focus and do well in those subjects in high school, get good overall GPA, take PSAT/SAT ..
Good universities need better GPA/SAT etc., well written SOP (Statement of Purpose) and recommendation from your favorite teachers.
Research the colleges offering the major you like to be in, find out the GPA/SAT requirements.
Try to work towards getting the prerequisites and apply to them in time.
Once you get into the college, work on companies offer jobs in your field to start a good career after the college.
Getting a internship during college and getting into best companies to start career will be the first step in making money.
Hope this helps. Wish you all the best in your endeavors!!!
david kirk
Retired Computing Manager
472
Answers
Syracuse, New York
Updated
david’s Answer
What you need to reach your goals is to develop a task list (things to actually do) to lead you there. Writing milestones is good, but without real tasks, you will not reach them. For example, to find your desired career, some possible tasks might be:
- write down every activity that makes you feel good/useful/valued
- investigate careers that rely on similar actions (for example, maybe you like fixing things. That fits with engineering and also with medicine)
- develop a matrix of activities and careers to see which ones match your desired activities the most
- expand each career area into more details to see more options
- get books from public library (and websites) to glean more information on the careers
- evaluate where you might acquire the skills for that profession and the costs and commitment
That's just a rough cut, but with tasks, you can do them and mark them complete and move to next task. And from there, you will reach each goal. Good luck to you in your pursuits. It's a long road to do all that you want, but will be time spent well and you will feel more confident and aware of your many options.
- write down every activity that makes you feel good/useful/valued
- investigate careers that rely on similar actions (for example, maybe you like fixing things. That fits with engineering and also with medicine)
- develop a matrix of activities and careers to see which ones match your desired activities the most
- expand each career area into more details to see more options
- get books from public library (and websites) to glean more information on the careers
- evaluate where you might acquire the skills for that profession and the costs and commitment
That's just a rough cut, but with tasks, you can do them and mark them complete and move to next task. And from there, you will reach each goal. Good luck to you in your pursuits. It's a long road to do all that you want, but will be time spent well and you will feel more confident and aware of your many options.
Madeline Dunaway
Product Analyst
2
Answers
Marietta, Georgia
Updated
Madeline’s Answer
Hi Mckenzie- It's great to have these goals! Don't stress yourself or overwhelm yourself and take it one step at a time. Go to college - find a career path you are interested in and research it! Look up career paths you can take within your ideal degree, as well as the median salary of your ideal degree.
Some tips:
1. Knowledge is power
2. Networking is key, don't be afraid to reach out to people
3. Stay organized and top of your studies, starting early will help you when you're out in the real-world!
Some tips:
1. Knowledge is power
2. Networking is key, don't be afraid to reach out to people
3. Stay organized and top of your studies, starting early will help you when you're out in the real-world!
Rocio Llanos-Foots
Customer Experience Manager
9
Answers
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Updated
Rocio’s Answer
Hi Mckenzie. The goals you started with are awesome, great job thinking about your future and putting it down on paper! My recommendation would be to break down those long term goals into actions. For example for your "going to college" goal, focus on researching different schools and the curriculum they offer. Figure out if you want to stay local or go away for college. Think about what interests you and what field you want to study and do some research on what college offer classes based on that.
Breaking down long term goals into smaller actionable tasks will help you narrow down what may seem like an overwhelming task and make it real. Good luck on your journey!
Breaking down long term goals into smaller actionable tasks will help you narrow down what may seem like an overwhelming task and make it real. Good luck on your journey!
Tricia Timmons
Sales
24
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Tricia’s Answer
Get clarity on potential fields. You can help narrow your interests by thinking through what you are good at academically and what you think to do extracurricularly. What fields allow you to do both?
Education—start at a school you feel comfortable in financially. Local colleges can be a great opinion for your first two years while you get core courses out of the way.
During the first two years research the fields you’ve identified that you’re interested in pursuing. Check salaries, companies, and qualifications and experiences they look for. See if you can find someone in the field(s) who can give you insight — leverage existing network, or build one through platforms like LinkedIn.
Once you have the information you should be able to better select your major and can determine which college or program is right for you.
Starting off on your career your salary will likely be low, but with determination to be succeed, you’ll continue to work your way up, get experience, and improve your salary.
Success is different for everyone. Do you want to make x amount of money before a certain age, own a home, lead a large organization, etc. Don’t confuse success with money. You decide what success looks like for you and go for it!
Education—start at a school you feel comfortable in financially. Local colleges can be a great opinion for your first two years while you get core courses out of the way.
During the first two years research the fields you’ve identified that you’re interested in pursuing. Check salaries, companies, and qualifications and experiences they look for. See if you can find someone in the field(s) who can give you insight — leverage existing network, or build one through platforms like LinkedIn.
Once you have the information you should be able to better select your major and can determine which college or program is right for you.
Starting off on your career your salary will likely be low, but with determination to be succeed, you’ll continue to work your way up, get experience, and improve your salary.
Success is different for everyone. Do you want to make x amount of money before a certain age, own a home, lead a large organization, etc. Don’t confuse success with money. You decide what success looks like for you and go for it!
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
364
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
I set this guide for myself, no matter the goal.
1. Take Action
2. Try Hard
3. Keep Practicing
4. Explore a different way
5.Ask someone for advice
6. Do you best
7.Learn how others did it
8.Build upon your strengths
9. Revie and fix mistakes.
10. Don't give up
Aisha recommends the following next steps:
Gerry R Pira, EdD
Consultant
1
Answer
Silang, Calabarzon, Philippines
Updated
Gerry R’s Answer
Pick a goal that is most important to you in the next 6 months. Create a plan and take the first step.
Gabriela Valera Qüenza
Strategy Consulting / AI Automation
3
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Gabriela’s Answer
This is a great plan, and it's fantastic that you have clear goals. My advice is to talk to as many people as you can and learn about their background, interest and their journey. Take what you can from each experience and think about how you want to shape your own future based on what you are hearing. What motivates you? What is your interest? What sacrifices are you willing to make? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Start there and build a plan that is consistent with your vision.
In terms of "making money" I would say, do some research into being financially smart. Learn how to build up a credit score early on, avoid debt by seeking scholarships, diversify your income as much as you can, look for ways to generate passive income. There are many things that go into gaining financial independence, and the earliest you start, the better position you'll find yourself in in the long run.
In terms of "making money" I would say, do some research into being financially smart. Learn how to build up a credit score early on, avoid debt by seeking scholarships, diversify your income as much as you can, look for ways to generate passive income. There are many things that go into gaining financial independence, and the earliest you start, the better position you'll find yourself in in the long run.
Vicki Enderby, CPCU ARe
Financial Services - Insurance - Technology
4
Answers
Ocala, Florida
Updated
Vicki’s Answer
Your upcoming journey is exciting. Goals are important. Well Done! Find balance. Seek Joy. Be Flexible. Life takes us in unexpected directions. Be prepared to listen to your heart.
Rebecca Tang
Banking
1514
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Firstly, you may need to find out what career or professional you would to do or what you have interest. If you enter a career you have no interest, it is not easy to do it and success.
Below are my suggestion:
1. Think about what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, interest subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you are interested in Maths, would you like to be an accountant, banker, engineer, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc.
If you like music, would you want to be a musician, singer, music composer, music procedure, music teacher, etc.
2. Explore more on these careers and find out the careers you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Below are my suggestion:
1. Think about what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, interest subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you are interested in Maths, would you like to be an accountant, banker, engineer, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc.
If you like music, would you want to be a musician, singer, music composer, music procedure, music teacher, etc.
2. Explore more on these careers and find out the careers you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Andrew Springer
Wireless Engineer
1
Answer
Irvine, California
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
Hi McKenzie -
What I would suggest first is to spend some quiet time with yourself and think about those things that excite you.
Find some people who are already doing and are successful at what you're interested in and start asking questions.
Maybe you can get into a program in school that will help you start the career path sooner. You may be able to job shadow and see what a typical day is like for someone in the career that interests you.
Hope you break it down and take the first step. You have to start somewhere, and want to succeed.
Stay positive and good luck!
What I would suggest first is to spend some quiet time with yourself and think about those things that excite you.
Find some people who are already doing and are successful at what you're interested in and start asking questions.
Maybe you can get into a program in school that will help you start the career path sooner. You may be able to job shadow and see what a typical day is like for someone in the career that interests you.
Hope you break it down and take the first step. You have to start somewhere, and want to succeed.
Stay positive and good luck!
Sallie Young
payroll specialist
28
Answers
Canton, Georgia
Updated
Sallie’s Answer
Utilize your guidance counselor! Thats what they are there for. Have these discussions with them now and you can start working up plans, goals, etc that will help you answer the questions you have and get you to where you want to be
Daniel Maynes
Credit Manager
188
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Great question McKenzie!
First things first - if you don't know where you want to go to college that's ok! Most people do not know what they want to do the rest of their lives and it can be stressful to think about. I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (fraud & operations)
I really think business is a great field to go into since it keeps your options wide open. That way you are not committing to one specific field and find out later that you hate it. Some fields in business include:
1. Operations
2. Finance
3. Sales
4. Marketing
5. Human Resources
I decided to go into Business Operations since operations touches almost every facet of the organization. I enjoy the different challenges and operations also gives me the flexibility to try new things. Another great aspect about operations is they usually support the other divisions of an organization. Since, there are many divisions of an company if you do not enjoy one area its not a big deal since you can support other areas of the business.
Many larger companies will start you in a rotational analyst program. By doing this you will get to see usually 2-4 different sections of the business. Companies offer this to not only help you hone in on your career path but many companies have realized that if there employees actually enjoy their job they will get better overall performance.
Some helpful steps below:
1. Come up with a business plan. This would include items such as operations, location, capital/funding, vision/mission statement etc. You can easily get lost in the weeds on this part. Don't get caught up in details that you can figure out later. Think big picture and ask yourself what is your business really trying to accomplish? That is always a good starting point on a business plan!
2. Lastly, come up with different business goals and set dates when you want to accomplish them. Setting a timeline will help you stay on track and know where you are in the process. It is very difficult but don't let yourself get caught up in the whirlwind of the "day to day." Meaning, set yourself and the business up with clear goals and do your best to not let the "daily fires" use up all your time. Inadvertently, you will have to attend to some of these daily fires but make sure you block off time to keep the vison of the company alive.
3. Don't Quit and always look to improve the process. I can't tell you how valuable these two statements have been throughout my life. Many times co-workers of mine have "quit" on a project when it got tough or felt ok doing the status quo. Don't fall into these traps and always look to see how a process could be completed quicker, easier, or more efficient. Companies love when tasks take less time, are more accurate and most of all can save them money. I have also learned to be proactive! I can't tell you how valuable that has been in my career going to my different managers and providing a solution to items without them even asking me to do so. It shows that you have initiative to keep helping the company grow.
Out of the many business books I have read, if I could only suggest two books to you, it would be the books below. Hope these thoughts help and good luck on the journey!
Read Dream Big by Bob Goff
Read the The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling
First things first - if you don't know where you want to go to college that's ok! Most people do not know what they want to do the rest of their lives and it can be stressful to think about. I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (fraud & operations)
I really think business is a great field to go into since it keeps your options wide open. That way you are not committing to one specific field and find out later that you hate it. Some fields in business include:
1. Operations
2. Finance
3. Sales
4. Marketing
5. Human Resources
I decided to go into Business Operations since operations touches almost every facet of the organization. I enjoy the different challenges and operations also gives me the flexibility to try new things. Another great aspect about operations is they usually support the other divisions of an organization. Since, there are many divisions of an company if you do not enjoy one area its not a big deal since you can support other areas of the business.
Many larger companies will start you in a rotational analyst program. By doing this you will get to see usually 2-4 different sections of the business. Companies offer this to not only help you hone in on your career path but many companies have realized that if there employees actually enjoy their job they will get better overall performance.
Some helpful steps below:
1. Come up with a business plan. This would include items such as operations, location, capital/funding, vision/mission statement etc. You can easily get lost in the weeds on this part. Don't get caught up in details that you can figure out later. Think big picture and ask yourself what is your business really trying to accomplish? That is always a good starting point on a business plan!
2. Lastly, come up with different business goals and set dates when you want to accomplish them. Setting a timeline will help you stay on track and know where you are in the process. It is very difficult but don't let yourself get caught up in the whirlwind of the "day to day." Meaning, set yourself and the business up with clear goals and do your best to not let the "daily fires" use up all your time. Inadvertently, you will have to attend to some of these daily fires but make sure you block off time to keep the vison of the company alive.
3. Don't Quit and always look to improve the process. I can't tell you how valuable these two statements have been throughout my life. Many times co-workers of mine have "quit" on a project when it got tough or felt ok doing the status quo. Don't fall into these traps and always look to see how a process could be completed quicker, easier, or more efficient. Companies love when tasks take less time, are more accurate and most of all can save them money. I have also learned to be proactive! I can't tell you how valuable that has been in my career going to my different managers and providing a solution to items without them even asking me to do so. It shows that you have initiative to keep helping the company grow.
Out of the many business books I have read, if I could only suggest two books to you, it would be the books below. Hope these thoughts help and good luck on the journey!
Daniel recommends the following next steps:
Derek Kraus
Workforce Planning BP
30
Answers
Beaverton, Oregon
Updated
Derek’s Answer
Hey McKenzie -
I really like your question here today! Looking back when I was in high school, I told my coach I was going to be a professional athlete, run in the Ironman World Championship, and work for Nike one day. It wasn't until much farther in life that I accomplished all three of these things. For me I found the answer to all of these questions through finding things I loved doing or thought would be exciting.
1) Decide on a profession - In one of my old hourly jobs, I watched how a Senior Human Resource partner created organizational change and my thought was "That is what I want to do". Then I figured out that I could go to school for HR and continue to partner with that SR HR partner to learn what they did for a living. As I learned I was more excited about it every day. Now I'm in a similar role as that person and it was all by watching / learning about what other people around me are doing.
2) Going to college - Determine what you want to do, question 1, then research the schools that have great programs (online or in-person)
3) Getting a good career - This will take time and you may have to be comfortable starting in a lower level position to work your way into the golden position. Build your network, experiences and be open to growing. Most successful individuals are able to pivot with changes. Businesses never stay the same and need flexibility. Lastly, don't get stuck and continue to look for new opportunities every 2ish years.
I really like your question here today! Looking back when I was in high school, I told my coach I was going to be a professional athlete, run in the Ironman World Championship, and work for Nike one day. It wasn't until much farther in life that I accomplished all three of these things. For me I found the answer to all of these questions through finding things I loved doing or thought would be exciting.
1) Decide on a profession - In one of my old hourly jobs, I watched how a Senior Human Resource partner created organizational change and my thought was "That is what I want to do". Then I figured out that I could go to school for HR and continue to partner with that SR HR partner to learn what they did for a living. As I learned I was more excited about it every day. Now I'm in a similar role as that person and it was all by watching / learning about what other people around me are doing.
2) Going to college - Determine what you want to do, question 1, then research the schools that have great programs (online or in-person)
3) Getting a good career - This will take time and you may have to be comfortable starting in a lower level position to work your way into the golden position. Build your network, experiences and be open to growing. Most successful individuals are able to pivot with changes. Businesses never stay the same and need flexibility. Lastly, don't get stuck and continue to look for new opportunities every 2ish years.
Jorge Torres Negron
Legal Professional (litigation support)
1
Answer
Austin, Texas
Updated
Jorge’s Answer
I think it's great you already have a list of goals! Some tips:
- Break down your long-terms goals into smaller, achievable targets (e.g., set dates to research about particular professions you are interested in or commit to attending a job fair)
- Once you have a targeted list, find people and/or groups around those professions and start building a network
- Success depends on many factors but one key ingredients is passion- write down a list of things you're passionate about and find the intersection between those and your career interests (you may be surprise to find a very interesting career you've never heard of).
- Money is essential but don't get too hung up on the chase- find the right balance between a profitable career and what makes you happy. Many people pick professions based solely on income and end up in jobs that make them miserable.
- Don't stop learning, ask questions, and align your future with your values and purpose
Good luck!!!
- Break down your long-terms goals into smaller, achievable targets (e.g., set dates to research about particular professions you are interested in or commit to attending a job fair)
- Once you have a targeted list, find people and/or groups around those professions and start building a network
- Success depends on many factors but one key ingredients is passion- write down a list of things you're passionate about and find the intersection between those and your career interests (you may be surprise to find a very interesting career you've never heard of).
- Money is essential but don't get too hung up on the chase- find the right balance between a profitable career and what makes you happy. Many people pick professions based solely on income and end up in jobs that make them miserable.
- Don't stop learning, ask questions, and align your future with your values and purpose
Good luck!!!