Are You Really Committed
to Your Career Goals?
by Deborah Brown-Volkman

Are you working on your career goals or just going through the motions? Are you "in" one day and "out" the next? Are you waiting for your goals to inspire and motivate you, and then you will jump in completely?

Many of us want a guarantee before we fully commit to our goals. If only we knew it would work out, then we would not question our choice or the direction of our future. Guess what. Your career will not give you the guarantee you are seeking. What you will get is a strong feeling inside guiding you in the rightdirection. Then, you listen to your gut, follow whatyou hear, and work on your goals everyday. That's whenmomentum takes over. That's when you get inspired. That's when you reach your goals.

The miracles in your career happen when you throw yourself fully into what you want to achieve. Will there be bad days and good ones? Yes. Will you question your future sometimes? Yes. There is a difference between being "in" versus planning for a time when you are ready to go "in." What happens ifyou are never ready? How are you ever going to reach your goals then?

So, how do you fully commit to your career goals?  Follow these four steps below:

1. Decide To Commit to Your Goals
Decisions are the turning point for real change and transformation. If you are unhappy in your job, decide that you will do something about it. If you want a career change, decide that you will have one. If you want to move up in your present position, decide that this will happen. Decide that today is that start of something brand new. For many of my clients, decidingis the hard part. One the decision has been made, the rest if implementation.

2. Act On Your Goals
Get ready to reach your goals by arming yourself with the tools you need to be successful. Is your resume and cover letter ready to go? Do you have a list of schools to investigate so you can gain new skills if that's what is necessary to get ahead? Do you have your list of contacts in front of you for networking purposes? Have you researched what your skills are worth in the marketplace so you could use this information to make more money? Make a list of action steps to move your career forward. Then, work on one action step every day.

3. Let Go Of What's Holding You Back
Let go of your fears, disappointments, and the mistakes you have made. They are a part of your past, and not your future. Let these things go because they are keeping you from having an extraordinary career. A scary thought? You bet. Some people do not know who they would be without their past to define them. But with big leaps, come big rewards. What you are really releasing is the negative aspects of your past thatare holding you back. These aspects are keeping you from being fully committed to your goals. Once you tell yourself that you will not fail, your chances of success increase substantially.

4. Celebrate
Committing to your goals is a big deal. Once you have committed, it is time to celebrate. You are free to go after what you want. You can create the future you have been thinking about and wishing for. You have more power than you think to change the direction of your career. Use that power to take your career to great heights. Then, congratulate yourself for doing so.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!

About the AuthorDeborah Brown-Volkman is the President of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a successful career and mentor coaching company that has been delivering a message of motivation, success, and personal fulfillment since 1998. We work with Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are out of work or overworked. Deborah is also the creator of the Career Escape ProgramT and author of Coach Yourself To A New Career: A Book To Discover Your Ultimate Profession. Deborah Brown-Volkman can be reached atwww.surpassyourdreams.com www.career-escape-program.com info@surpassyourdreams.com or at (631) 874-2877.