Here I lay out a simple yet effective 3 step strategy for hitting your goals in 2021.
Though you might be thinking this is a late article for the year. Big known fact, January 19th is around the day that people quit their new year resolutions – it’s deemed Quitter’s Day by Strava. Therefore this article is more timely than ever – you are welcome!
These three steps can help you to get to whatever goals you have set for yourself or business in 2021.
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Prelude
Recently, I have had some master of public health students asking me what skills would be best for them to focus on during their program. Though I could have told them something to the effect of: focus on doing Community Health Needs Assessments, or make sure that you show you can analyze and synthesize information and write reports.
This broad advice may have yielded value to the students, however to give them the best answer I NEEDED more context. Did you want to go into health education, program management, epidemiology, or a health policy analyst, to name a few? The context of understand where you want to go is the best way that I am able to help you and the best way you are able to help yourself. You need to have a target in mind.
“Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch?” You are blind if you are going about with no target in mind. You can always pivot, but you need to be moving towards something.
Goals are great for direction, but you need have the systems (habits) in place to continue your progress to your goals and beyond.
(Related: 2020 Goal Setting For Public Health Students)
1) Have a Target
Going back to my conversation I have been having with a few students, having a target in mind is the way to go.
Determining your target should be the first thing that you determine. If you have no idea where you want to be then I recommend you start talking to people. Talk to other students, talk to other public health professionals, ask your professors, listen to my podcast, and/or use LinkedIn. Don’t let other determine what your target is going to be. Create your own vision board for what your targets are going to be.
Put in the initial time you need to figure out what it is you would like your “ideal” target to be. It makes no sense doing an internship in a lab if you want to do health promotion work for your career. Your masters program is relatively short and you need to optimize on the opportunities you do to get you where YOU want to be.
Only when you have your target will you know what actions seems the most beneficial for your path. Having this target also gives you a good framework for what sorts of opportunities you take on or say no to. Always think deeply about doing an experience. Remember you can sometimes gain a lot more doing an internship you don’t like from one that you do, however not always optimal.
The target can change, but you need to have one in order to be able to set your general direction. When a target is defined, direction appears.
2) Go Towards Your Direction
Once you got your target, the direction becomes more clear.
The target gives you the focus to determine your direction. Your target will help you answer these questions:
- What are your career paths to my target?
- Who’s someone in my field I can talk to about how they got there?
- What projects will allow me to get the skills I need for my target?
- Which internship will yield the most benefit for myself?
- What communities/conversations do you have to be a part of?
- How can I gain ___ skill outside of coursework?
- What connections should I make with alumni and other professionals?
- Which professional development opportunities will best help me?
These aren’t the only questions to ask yourself, but they definitely will get you on the right path.
And as I overstate, the target can change which will allow you to reassess which direction is most optimal. But nonetheless, the target is the thing that is going to lead you to have a more focused approach to gettin ahead in your public health career.
3) Build Associations
Right so now you know your target and have your direction. Now you can finally know which associations or networks you need to build.
We’ve all heard the adage: your network determines your net worth. I know for myself, my network has been growing stronger every day. By providing value, I have been able to get value.
Put yourself around others that are a few steps ahead of you in your career. They are invaluable in adding to your network. These targeted associates are going to be the most useful persons in your network. They can help connect you to their network which will expand your network of relevant associates.
It is also important to build associates with people who are on the same level as you and to also reach back and be a resource to those wanting to get to your level. Talking to others is going to be an asset that will help expand your mindset and give you new thoughts for how you want to shape your career.
Hey, if you’re reading this – you are already on your path to getting those connections that will help you. Find your target, get the direction, and build great associations.
The Wrong Way To Do It
Here I showed a simple strategy for hitting your goals. Most people in life go about this strategy in the wrong order: 3 then 2 then 1 (Association then Direction then Target).
When you do this, you are now creating a less optimal path for you to reach your target. Let’s say you don’t have a target but want to start networking. Maybe you will end up talking to people in health administration when you really want to work in a local non-profit in your area. Don’t try to find associations before you know where you want to go, unless you are reaching out for knowledge or general networking purposes.
There is one resource we all can never get back. Time. So why would you want to squander your precious time making associations with people that aren’t aligned with your targets?
People don’t start their vision board thinking about who they need to talk to to think about their goals. They first write they goals (targets) on their vision board.
Last Word
Stop thinking, start doing. Really, start doing right now! You can start small, but start now. Stop planning, start doing.
The field of public health has growing interest as many Public Health Masters programs have seen a 20% increase in applications according to SOPHAS.
This means the field is going to become more competitive and the job market is going to also become more competitive as a result. This means the onus is on yourself to put get the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to get where you want to go.
My goal here is to help you to get where you want to go to do the great and amazing public health work we need done.
Conclusion
This solid 3 Step Strategy For Hitting Your Goals in 2021.
- Have A Target
- Go Towards Your Direction
- Build Associations
If you are able to work on your goals with this process you will surely find success.
What do you find best about this strategy?
