A Medical Professional's Guide to Setting Measurable Goals and Getting Ahead

Goal setting is essential for any growth to take place.

In today’s world, it’s common for people to set goals in various aspects of their lives, such as career, fitness, spiritual goals, and many more.

It is evident society is always pushing you to work towards your milestones.

However, we don’t put much thought into the strategies necessary to attain our objectives.

According to experts, goal setting refers to the strategic process of action plans designed to achieve goals that contribute to business objectives.

Setting measurable goals as a medical professional can be the difference between success and failure.

Without a well-thought-out plan, your career can quickly lose track and meaning.

Having a tangible set of smart goals, your career easily becomes your mission doing what you love while you thrive at it.

Having measurable goals is like having a compass guiding you through a forest.

Why Set Measurable Goals?

A lot of people work hard without seeing much of their efforts.

This can easily cause anyone to feel unmotivated, making their career feel like one endless to-do list.

One of the contributory factors causing them to feel this way is that they don’t intentionally plan their careers.

When setting goals for yourself, it’s essential to ensure that they motivate you to work towards achieving them.

They have to be valuable to you in order to produce meaningful results.

Motivation is the secret to committing to your goals.

Having clearly outlined goals puts power into your hands, and you become the master of your own destiny.

Goals help you gain momentum in your work by guiding your focus and productivity.

With a clear goal in mind, you can plan how, when, and what you will need to achieve it.

Below you can see how much of a difference setting measurable goals can make to motivate an individual.

1. Abstract goal: To build on my skills.

2. Measurable goal: This coming year, I will take the first three
   months to build my skills on promedcert.com by doing six short
   courses to help me prepare for my job applications after
   graduating from medical school.

The abstract goal is vague and can be interpreted in so many different ways, while the measurable is accurate to the day and why.

The measurable goal also gives a glimpse of how future success could look like by informing exactly what to work for along the way.

Establishing clear goals to guide you through the day, week, month, and year, you are able to achieve more through discipline and dedication.

Other advantages of setting measurable goals include:

• Creating schedules and prioritizing work even when things get hectic
• Share your progress, ideas, and ambitions with management
• Validate requests for investments in self-development, ongoing education,
  etc
• Being deliberate on the reason behind every objective is important
• Be specific on the metrics that matter to your growth

How To Set Effective Goals

When setting your goals, every step that contributes to your success matters; you should include each step necessary for success.

To help, you can use a framework called SMART goals.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.

Each step of the SMART formula outlines a specific well thought out goal.

Specific - should be easy to understand and precise as possible.

Example: “I want to get hired as a medical professional.”

Measurable - should be quantifiable with clear results.

Example: “I will complete three courses and attain a certificate for each.”

Achievable - should be realistic and attainable.

Example: “I will apply for five medical professional jobs everyday.”

Relevant - they should align with the overall business objectives.

Example: “To achieve my goal of getting hired as a medical professional, I need to complete my certifications and apply for five roles every day.

Time - should be set within a realistic timeframe.

Example: “To achieve my goal of getting hired as a medical professional, I need to complete my certifications and apply for five roles every day within the first quarter of next year.

Where to use SMART goals

To live a life of work balance, it's important to align your goals with different aspects of your life.

A successful life is one that is all-rounded and accomplished in every aspect.

Prioritize your goals according to the order of priority.

It's easy to end up feeling overwhelmed if you come up with too many goals without prioritizing the important ones.

Goal achievement demands dedication.

Thus, you must have a sense of urgency and an "I must do this" attitude to increase your chances of success.

Be intentional in the area you want to grow and set specific goals for it.

Career – What position do you aspire to reach in your career?

Financial – Do you have a working budget that determines your spending habits?

Education – What certifications are required to receive a promotion?

Personal – Is any part of you limiting your personal growth?

Family – How are you preparing to be a good parent or spouse?

Lifestyle – Are you happy with how you live, or do you need to adapt to healthier habits?

In conclusion, setting SMART goals not only helps you stay on track but also fosters efficiency.

Always ensure you create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely goals that align with business objectives.

Visit ProMed if your goal is to get certified in the medical field.