It is not just a goal, it is a Journey

A few months back, I decided to change my 15 years old career. And after thinking a lot and talking to many friends and consultants, I finally put my step forward toward UX (User Experience). There is no doubt that this field is completely different than the health industry. Also, after 15 years going back to learning and studying a completely new subject is hard in itself but in addition to that is to look for a job, planning interviews and finally finding a job.

During this phase of learning, there are moments when everything looks hazy, hard, unpredictable, and uncertain. To keep going and keeping myself motivated is another challenge. There are days when I wake up with no energy, drained because the previous night I was working till 3 am to submit an assignment. So, my next day goes in the drain because I am so tired to do anything. I was exhausted and burnt out.

One final day, I sat down and gathered myself to look at the goal. I had to write it because the goals were changing every day. I had to see it through and found that I am not just overlooking the goal, rather I am not looking at it at all. It is not just the goal, it is a journey that I have to define. I have to define the milestones and celebrate every milestone that is bringing me closer to my goal. So, now I have to define the milestones for myself rather than setting the goals. Goals give the big picture, an outcome.

In my one of the classes, I learned about SMART, first coined by George T. Doran, is an acronym for the following:

• Specific: Provide concrete details.
• Measurable: Include performance indicators so you know when you’re on track.
• Actionable: Include steps you can take to reach your goal.
• Realistic: Be aware of your experience, skillset, location, time constraints, and other relevant factors.
• Time-Bound: Include timelines and schedules.

This was an instant click, I so needed to be smart by following SMART. I took out a couple of sticky notes, whiteboards, pens, and markers and started defining what I have to do to stay on the path but without exhausting myself and getting tired and lost. I need to write it to remember so I pasted a few in my notebook and on my desk. It takes some time to become routine and routine to habit. This is a new lifestyle.

So, I defined the milestone and broke them into smaller, achievable, and presentable goals so that I can show to mentors and get feedback. This gave me a sense of moving and happening.

Another thing that helped me was to learn that the goal setting is not enough. Most of the time the biggest fall is the goal itself. Setting a big goal feels like unfathomable or unsummitable and many of us give up sooner than trying. I have done it many times like not applying for a Ph.D. thinking that it will take forever.

Then I learned about the BSQ process. BSQ stands for

Think BIG

Act SMALL

Move QUICK

Make a big goal, break into small milestones that are achievable, and which are achievable in a shorter duration like in a day. I made smaller goals like reading 2 articles in a day rather than reading 20 articles in a week so that I can catch up daily if I was left behind or reading just one chapter of a book than finishing the whole book. Another reason to follow the BSQ process as it reduces stress. Achieving a big goal needs lots of efforts and if for some reason you are not able to achieve, it causes frustration and stress which indirectly makes you doubt your efforts. Negative thoughts get dominant and the vicious cycle of stress, frustration, and negative thought starts. It shakes your motivation.

Motivation is a drive to keep you going. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the fifth or the top level is self-actualization. The utmost level of motivation that drives a human being to reach their utmost potential. To achieve any goal, we need to be motivated. However, sometime during these long term goals, we lose our north star, feel lost, and drift away and then the negative thoughts cycle starts again. It is important to keep our motivation system up to make progress and to keep moving.

The things I found helpful are

Being Assertive: Before someone acknowledges you, we need to acknowledge ourselves. We need to be assertive, that does not mean not to be a critique but respond positively. Diffuse internal negative dialogue by saying an I/My formula.

I remember someone saying that “Fake it till you make it”, Once you start saying, you start believing, and you start acting. You can be your superhero.

A positive attitude goes a long way. Employers always look for professionals who are self-motivated and positive. the positive attitude reflects in the actions, expressions, and work performance.

Self-care: If a positive attitude is a start point self-care is a link between attitude and success. Self-care does not mean to go expensive spas or a luxury vacation, it could be as simple as watching control TV, eating a donut to celebrate a milestone, going for walk or anything that makes you happy and calm. With all up beatings, you deserve a right to self-care because self-care is just about you and nobody knows you better than yourself. Incorporate a downtime in the calendar, and don’t snooze it.

With small and smart milestones, self-care, and an assertive attitude, the goals become simple, easy, and realistic. If working hard is much than working smartly is the key.