How To Set and Stick to Long-Term Career Goals

Are you stuck in your career and unsure where you want to end up? Or maybe you have long-term goals but struggle to stick with them. We've all been there.

In this article, I'll discuss why long-term career goals are important, giving some examples and sharing tips on sticking with them. Let's dive in!

Why long-term career goals are important

The benefits of long-term planning compound over time. Here are a few of the biggest ones.

They help you filter out what's essential

When you have long-term career goals, you know what's important to you. As a result, you can more easily disregard opportunities that don't align with your goals and focus on the ones that do. This saves you time and energy, and it helps keep you motivated.

They remove the stress of not knowing what to do next

One of the biggest sources of stress for people is not knowing what their next step should be. Long-term career goals eliminate this worry because you already know where you're headed, and this provides clarity about what to do. This can give you peace and allow you to focus on other things in your life.

They give you a feeling of accomplishment

Achieving your long-term career goals gives you a sense of accomplishment that can be really rewarding. It makes you feel like you've achieved something significant, and this can give you a boost in terms of your confidence and motivation.

3 Examples of long-term career goals

Big goals take on many different shapes depending on what you want out of life and how much work you're willing to put in. And despite what most people think, almost any career goal is achievable with enough patience and creativity. Check out these three examples of long-term career goals to inspire you.

Reaching an executive-level position (CEO, COO, CFO)

If you want to reach the top of your industry, becoming an executive is likely your long-term goal. To get to the top, you will need to climb the corporate ladder, gain advanced degrees, and become an expert in office politics.

While it may seem hard, reaching an executive-level position can be incredibly rewarding. You have the opportunity to earn a high salary and enjoy job security and also be able to make decisions that can impact the company's direction.

If you are motivated and ambitious, achieving this is definitely within your reach.

Earning a certain level of income

For many people, salary is important when determining their long-term career goals. While some people are content to earn a comfortable living, others aspire to achieve a higher income level.

For example, if you want to be in the top 5% of earners, you'll need to make anywhere from $175,000 to $250,000 per year in the United States. While this may seem like a daunting figure, it's important to remember that long-term career goals are attainable if you're willing to put in the work.

Start a business or launch a product

Creating a new business, department, or product can be particularly rewarding. It's a great feeling to know that the impact of your career will last long after you've retired.

You can leave a legacy in many ways, both inside and outside of the traditional workplace. Of course, setting up a new business is no small feat – it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and creativity. But if you're up for the challenge, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Not only will you get to see your vision come to life, but you'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you made a lasting contribution to your field.

How to stick to your long-term career goals

So how do you actually stick to your long-term career goals and make sure you achieve them? Here are a few tips:

Understand that you will change

Just like personal goals, your career goals will likely alter over time as you do. And that's okay!

In fact, it's to be expected. Your goals will naturally evolve as you gain new experiences and learn more about yourself. What's important is that your goals remain aligned with where you see yourself in the future. If you find that your goals have changed significantly, it may be time to reassess your plans and ensure you're still headed in the right direction.

But don't worry – these changes are perfectly normal and don't have to mean starting from scratch. Just adjust your goals as needed and keep moving forward!

Find accountability partners

It can be challenging to stay focused on your long-term career goals. Whether you're just starting out or you've been in the workforce for years, you can easily lose sight of what you want in the workplace.

One way to stay on track is to find an accountability partner. This can be a spouse, mentor, or close friend. Find someone you can talk to regularly about your goals and who will hold you accountable to them. Having someone to check in with will help you stay motivated and on track.

Set short-term goals along the way

Setting smaller goals along the way will help you reach your long-term goals. That way, you can measure your progress and keep yourself on track.

But it's all about taking things one step at a time. If your long-term goal is to become a CEO, for example, your short-term goal might be to get promoted to manager. Or, if you want to start your own business, your short-term goal might be to save up enough money for a down payment on a small office space.

Remember that the key to achieving your goals is to be strategic and patient. Then, before you know it, you'll reach every goals you've set.

Stay on track

Long-term career goals are important for guiding your actions and giving you a sense of accomplishment. However, remember to be flexible as you work towards them, find accountability partners, and set short-term goals along the way.

Good luck on your journey!