There are many ways to develop your career at Marriott Vacations Worldwide. Some offices have more structured programs than others, but everyone has the tools to move forward in their career and to keep improving in their current role. It all starts with what you do every day.
American humorist Will Rogers once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” This highlights the importance of continuing to move forward and keep learning, wherever you are in life. This is essential in your personal life, but also in your career.
Once you have learned the basics of your job, it is easy to get complacent and not feel challenged. A good way to prevent this is to set goals. These goals can be as simple as improving a particular statistic or business goal, or as far reaching as achieving your next position with the company. Longer term goals usually come with many short term achievements along the way.
Whenever you set a goal, it is helpful to employ the S.M.A.R.T. acronym to make them more effective.
| S.M.A.R.T. | |
|---|---|
| S pecific | A specific goal has a much greater chance at success than a general goal. Knowing exactly what you’re trying to accomplish makes it easier to know when you have achieved your goal. |
| M easureable | Any goal you set should have measureable criteria, whether it is an established statistic at work, or a weight loss goal. |
| A ttainable | Setting a series of smaller, attainable goals to achieve your larger goal gives you a sense of achievement and momentum. You will be surprised by how much you can accomplish if you set up smaller benchmarks along the way. Conversely, setting an unattainable goal may discourage you from trying again if you fail. |
| R ealistic | Make sure the goal you set is something you are willing and able to work towards. Successful goals must come from you, not what others would like you to do. |
| T imely | Rather than saying you would to achieve your goal “eventually” or “someday,” give yourself a deadline. |
If you haven’t done a lot of goal-setting in the past, you may have some trial and error before you can come up with a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Don’t let that discourage you, and don’t be afraid to adjust your goals if necessary. The important thing is you are working towards something, whether it is at work or at home, which makes the day to day responsibilities you have seem easier.
Goal-setting is a continual process and it’s never too early or too late to begin. As author C.S. Lewis said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
