Despite the weather heating up, it’s hard to believe that summer is already here!  It feels like just yesterday we were discussing annual goal setting and New Year’s resolutions. Now, we’re about halfway through the year and are coming up on the perfect time to evaluate your progress and to ensure you’re still on target to accomplish your goals. Here are 3 tips to help you do so.

Measure Your Accomplishments.
Accomplishments are the indicators that we have met our goals.  Take a few minutes and jot down the things you’ve accomplished so far this year.  It’s healthy to do this reality check, so that you can have a better picture of what you have actually achieved in the past 6 months.  Reflect on what you’ve completed versus what you hoped to complete by this time of year.

Ask yourself the following questions as you review accomplishments:

• What new skills have you developed, and how have you applied them?
• What goals have you met that you set at the beginning of the year?
• What obstacles have you faced? How did you overcome them?
• How have you improved your level of performance?
• What could you still improve upon?

Asking these questions will give you a better understanding of where you are in your career, how much you have accomplished, and what you need to work on.

Address Your Next Steps.
After reviewing your accomplishments, you may look back at some of your goals and decide whether they are still relevant.  Maybe they don’t pass the “so what?” test.  Maybe you have changed direction on what you would like to be doing with your career.  Perhaps some goals have become a much higher priority than they previously were.  Ask yourself these questions to help decide which goals you would really like to achieve during the remainder of the year:

• What would I like to accomplish by the end of the year?
• What obstacles stand in the way of accomplishing these goals?
• What learning or expertise do I need to develop in order to achieve my goals?
• Which goals do I need to achieve the soonest?
• What accomplishments will help me advance my career?
• How will I reward myself for reaching my goals?

Answering these questions will help formulate a solid plan that includes the goals you still want to accomplish this year and show how they will culminate in the achievement of your long term goals.

Stomp out obstacles that keep you from accomplishing your goals.

The most common obstacle individuals face is fear, and fear can take many forms when it comes to achieving career goals.  It stands in the way of networking, applying for jobs that you really want, or getting a better education.  Fear can also lead to internal resistance—where you stop taking action, learning from mistakes, and eventually giving up on your goals.  If you notice yourself experiencing these obstacles, talk to a career coach or recruiter to help you build and maintain your confidence and motivate.

Don’t let the second half of 2014 slip out from underneath you without achieving your goals. July 4 is the midpoint of the year, and your halftime to make sure you’re on the right track!

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