If you’re smart—and I know you are—you’re going to set sports career goals for 2012. But before you do, read this first:
The key to achieving your sports career goals is to know exactly where you want to go and how you plan to get there.
Generic goals such as, “I want to work in sports” is too broad. It doesn’t mean anything. Even when you narrow your goal to something more specific such as, “My goal is to work in sports marketing” — that’s still too vague.
The two most crucial areas of concentration for achieving sports career goals are the “Where” and the “How.” Where do you want to go? How do you plan to get there? Below are two ways that will help you answer those questions.
1. Crystalize Your Vision
Brian Tracy, the world-renowned expert on goal-setting says, “You can’t hit your target if you can’t see what you’re aiming for.” In other words, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll wander aimlessly and never reach your ideal destination.
When you have a clear vision of what you want to do with your sports career goals, you’ll have a major advantage over your competitors. If there’s one thing employers love, it’s a job candidate who knows exactly where they’re heading.
Having a good vision of your career includes having the ability to articulate the value you can bring to an organization. This is what employers care about. Focus on it. Think it through. Take your time.
2. Plan Your Work
Setting career goals and having a crystal clear vision of where you want to go is extremely powerful. But that’s only the beginning.
There’s an old adage that says, “Plan your work, and work your plan.” Your goals have a better chance of getting accomplished when you put together a solid plan behind it.
Imagine if the Green Bay Packers didn’t have a plan in place to achieve their goal of winning back-to-back Super Bowls … that would be foolish! Same goes for you. Winning your first job in sports is your Super Bowl. Plan accordingly.
To drive home how important having a game plan is, I’ll leave you with another old adage: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Chris’ Keys to Sports Career Goals
Write down your goals and a written plan to achieve them. Establish a time and a place to work on your plan on a regular basis. Your plan should include answers to these questions:
- What am I great at (or want to become great at)?
- Who are the leading executives in that field?
- What type of companies hire for that position?
- How do I get my foot in the door?
- How do I convince them to make me a job offer?
Have you set your sports career goals for 2012 yet? Let us know what they are in the comments below and please feel free to share this article with your friends on Facebook & Twitter
thanks for the like Pauli!