Set yourself a goal and work out how youโre going to achieve it. Heather Baker explains why getting what you want is within your reach
โWhen weโve got a bit of money, weโll go on a really nice holiday.โ โIโd love a job like that.โ Iโm sure you can think of many more expressions along these lines. Weโve all done it โ dreamed of a top job or an exotic holiday โ yet how often do these things come to fruition? We sit and wait for money to drop from the sky or the MD to walk into our office and offer us our dream job. It wonโt happen; we have to make things happen by ourselves.
The fact of the matter is the only thing stopping you from achieving your ambitions is probably you. Letโs take this step by step: how can you make a dream come true if you donโt know what it is? Fair enough, we know vaguely that we might want a โreally nice holidayโ or a โjob like thatโ, but thatโs not good enough. Letโs take each of those desires and make them more specific.
Instead of saying, โWhen weโve got a bit of money, weโll go on a really nice holidayโ, try saying, โWhen we have ยฃ3,000 we can holiday for two weeks in Barcelona.โ Similarly, instead of saying, โIโd love a job like thatโ, why not go for something like, โI want to work as a PA to a television executive.โ
Once you know precisely what you want you can start to work out how to get it. Letโs say you want to go to Barcelona in a yearโs time. You probably have to pay for the holiday a couple of months before leaving, so youโve got 10 months to save. Is that feasible? If yes, go for it; if not, change the plan or go later. Once thatโs in place, youโre almost on your way.
Letโs look now at the idea of becoming a PA to a TV executive (or any other role that you find desirable). Ask yourself some questions: What qualifications are necessary and do I have them? If I donโt, how can I get them? Which organisations, newspapers or websites advertise these types of jobs? Which recruitment agencies have TV companies on their books? What work experience do I need and do I have it? If not, how can I get it? Do I know anyone who can help me? Is there any voluntary work I could do that might help? Is it worth sending in a speculative enquiry to a company anyway, just in case? Could I benefit from being on social media?
Donโt forget to anticipate what the barriers may be to achieving your goal and how you would cope with them. Weigh up if the challenges are related to family issues, finances, health, or other existing commitments. Are you able to discuss these with people close to you to find solutions? Often the challenges come from within ourselves โ they are born out of fear, or remembering past negative experiences. Ask yourself why you are frightened of taking the steps that are needed and weigh up whether such anxieties are realistic.
When you think you are leaving something good, you may be starting something better. Establish a clear, specific plan, set yourself deadlines and stick to them. As Thomas Edison said: โJust when something seems impossible, thatโs the time to keep goingโ. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
Heather Baker is an international PA/administrative trainer, author and creator of the BakerWrite speedwriting system. For information on the training courses she offers visit bakerthompsonassoc.co.uk
