This summer, we witnessed the United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT) win the World Cup after months of intense preparation. The esteemed Hope Solo received the Golden Glove trophy as the best goalkeeper of the tournament, which brings us to this week’s topic:  It’s time for a lesson on goal keeping, my friends!   When it comes to the career field, setting goals is essential to measuring progress, keeping focus and maintaining motivation. So let’s channel our inner Hope Solo and goal keep like champs!

Write it out.   

Where do you want to be in five years time?  Ten years?  To get what you want, you must first know what you want.  It’s beneficial to write out specific goals so that you have a clear focus on what you’re working toward. These don’t have to be overarching, monstrous shifts in your environment. They can be as small as “learn how to code” or “grow more in the area of public speaking.”

Don’t get distracted.

The adults in my life always told me that adult life is much faster than the younger years. I didn’t believe them until now! Life comes at you fast, and sometimes we get caught up in the whirlwind that is life! However, remember to stay focused on the goals you’ve set. If you find yourself having trouble with this, take your written goals and place them somewhere you’ll see them everyday (i.e. like your bathroom mirror).  That way, you will wake up every morning and remember the goals you’ve set for yourself.

Dream big. 

You don’t have to limit yourself when envisioning your future. It’s important to be realistic, but dreaming big is allowed! Kicker? Having confidence in yourself. Like the rallying “I Believe” chant during the U.S national soccer games, you have to first believe in yourself before you begin achieving your goals.

Be open to learning.

After years of working in any given field, it’s easy to stay comfortable doing what you’re already good at.  If you have the opportunity to add certain skills to your repertoire, go for it.  I always say there’s no such thing as over-education.  You never know – learning and trying new things might lead you to new career opportunities you might not have considered before.

The next Women’s World Cup will be in four years, but I can guarantee you the USWNT will be preparing far in advance to defend their world champion title.  The same goes for you and that goal of yours! Setting goals is only one part of the journey toward success, so let’s get to it!