Career goals and resolutions for 2020

Do you know the difference between goals and resolutions?

In truth, this could be a matter of semantics more than a concrete distinction, but the two words mean something different to me. In my lexicon, a goal is something that can (eventually) be checked off a list, whereas a resolution is more of a determination to change something on an ongoing basis.

Taken in this light, I think of New Years’ resolutions as habits I want to form or break, with a side helping of goals that I plan to achieve before the year ends. Sometimes the two are symbiotic, with the success of one contributing to the success of the other.

Here’s an example: Suppose I set a goal of losing 10 pounds in 2020. If I also resolve to walk a mile every day, and to eliminate desserts on weekdays, my resolutions will undoubtedly help me to reach my goal.

Likewise, having a specific weight-loss goal could help motivate me on days I don’t feel like honoring my resolutions. Once the goal has been met, however, the resolutions (which have now become habits) will live on, prompting me to walk every day and eat fewer desserts. In theory. We’ll see…

Speaking of resolutions and goal setting, you may know that career issues frequently top the list of things people want to change or improve in the new year. With that in mind, I’ve made a short set of three potential goals and three potential resolutions that you can use as a guide. They won’t necessarily inter-weave to support each other, but they’ll give you career-based examples of how the two concepts differ.

Examples of career goals for 2020

1. Finish a degree. This is the perfect example of a measurable “event” that can be reached and then checked off the list. To make this happen, you’ll want to conduct research as early in the year as possible, to help ensure you don’t miss deadlines for enrollment or financial assistance. From that point, the rest of the steps will become relatively obvious, leaving you with just the “doing” to get it done.

2. Negotiate a higher salary. Despite the potential reward factor, requesting a raise is surprisingly difficult for many people to make themselves do. I say surprisingly because the steps themselves are fairly straightforward: Identify the value of your work (admittedly a little tricky sometimes), build your case for the raise, set a meeting with the boss, make the request.

Mind you, the effort may not be successful, but making the attempt doesn’t have to be overly difficult. One logical way to start is by reading articles on the subject, to give you a better sense of your process. But then I’d say you should just get ‘er done – set a date in the first quarter of the year to make the request and you’ll be able to check this one off your list, win or lose.

3. Find a better job. Oops – didn’t get that raise? Maybe you tried that last year and that’s how you know you need a new job this year. Or perhaps you define “better” as something more fun or challenging or which has better hours. That’s actually your first step: Identify your criteria, so you’ll be able to job search more efficiently. The next step is to set a date for when you want to start in the new job, so you can work backwards on scheduling the other steps, such as networking and resume development.

Examples of career resolutions for 2020

1. Network more. This is a one-size-fits-all resolution, since hardly anyone fills their dance card when it comes to connecting with others. Whether it’s better LinkedIn management or making more friends at work, you’re bound to find something to build better networking habits.

2. Develop a mindset that seeks challenges. Volunteer for the safety committee? Cross-train to learn new products? Take on the database problem? Being challenged at work is the antidote to feeling stuck in a rut.

3. Be more professional. Not to imply that you’re not already acting in a professional manner. But perhaps your wardrobe could use a step up in 2020, or maybe you’ve been late to work a few too many times. Whatever “professional” means to you, it couldn’t hurt to bump it up a bit.

Whether you take these suggestions for your own goals or resolutions, or come up with a new list, three is a pretty good number to shoot for in each category. Too many can be overwhelming, while too few leaves you with no fallback success if something doesn’t work. Here’s to a happy and productive 2020!