Читать книгу Professional Practice for Interior Designers - Christine M. Piotrowski - Страница 104

Setting a goal requires commitment of time, energy, and mental processes. Some people do not wish to really make a commitment of any kind beyond their immediate physiological needs. In setting goals, a person runs the risk of failure, that is, of not achieving the goal. But not achieving the goal does not automatically mean failure. The goal may be unattainable at the present time for one reason or another.

Not accomplishing a goal should never be thought of as failure because there can be many reasons that the goal was not accomplished. Chief among these is that the goal may have been set so high that it was unattainable in any reasonable length of time. Maybe the goal was set too high based on the experience level of the individual. Designing high‐end residences right after graduation is a great goal, but not attainable for someone straight out of college.

Another reason people do not set goals is because of the risk of feeling the pain of failure. It is emotionally difficult to admit that you have not achieved some goal that you would like to have accomplished. Of course, it is painful to “fail,” but not trying is also emotionally painful. Everyone fails occasionally, and learning from the failure and resolving to fix the issue, or try harder, or do whatever is needed to succeed the next time is very important for successful people.

Here are a few worthwhile thoughts to keep in mind when setting goals:

 Set goals that satisfy you—not parents, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a spouse, or peers. Goals that are set to please others or because they expect it of you will rarely satisfy you.

 Clarify your purpose in setting a particular goal. You have to know what you want and why it is important in order to work at achieving the goal.

 Some goals are unattainable without the proper experience, so certain goals take time to achieve. Be prepared to “pay your dues” in the process of achieving some of your goals.

 Be sure you are honest with yourself in setting goals. Sometimes our temperament, habits, or behavior interfere with achievement of goals.

 Do not be afraid to change goals or change direction. Life is not perfect, and reality usually does not match fantasy. Be flexible in goal setting.

 Unexpected circumstances and a lack of understanding of career requirements are just a few things that can affect your ability to reach your goals.

There is one indisputable fact about life: Life will change. For most, change means growth. So don't be afraid to grow. Being open to a change of plans may offer you an opportunity for personal and professional growth that you had not even considered.