Career goals - a good time for change?

It's the start of a brand spanking New Year (and it's my guess that you've already broken any new year resolutions you half-seriously made the week before!).  

Earlier today I was reading James Mullan's excellent blog post about setting New Year goals and finding your focus, and I was struck by the difference between a resolution (generally along the lines of 'I won't do so much of xxx this year' - eating, smoking, etc)  and a goal (much more centred around a positive, can-do idea, something you want to strive for and achieve this year).

A resolution is hard to keep.  We are generally good at convincing ourselves that 'just one' (sweet, cake, gin!) isn't really breaking the rules, after all, it's only one... isn't it? On the other hand, it's harder to 'fall off the wagon' with a goal.

A goal is something you have to actively do things in order to achieve, rather than avoid doing (generally pleasurable) things.  Indeed, the steps along the way to achieving your target can in themselves be pleasurable.  If your goal is career related, then some of these steps might be about learning new skills or gaining new experiences, to enable you to apply for that promotion or that new job, for example.  

Learning new things, that feeling of having mastered a new skill, gives a great feeling of satisfaction and achievement.  Add together a range of these, plus the increasing realisation that you're now equipped to get that new job or move to that new sector you've had your eye on, and the journey can be as pleasurable as the destination.

Maybe 2012 is your year for looking around at the library & information profession, deciding whereabouts in it you'd like to be working, what kind of role and what sort of organisation, and setting about to collect the skills and experiences that will get you there?  Now that's a goal to get your teeth into for the New Year!  Good luck!