How Goal Setting and Pivoting Led me to Become a Leader in my Field

Shanyelle Young is a prominent real estate professional who graduated from UConn in 1992. She was brimming with ambition following graduation. She desired a long-term career, but the establishment of her marriage and the birth of her child compelled her to pivot and rethink her short-term goals. However, she hasn’t given up on her end goal to own her own real estate team. Seven years later, She returned to create a diverse and influential real estate team. It is remarkable that Shanyelle Young, a Black woman, has achieved such success in a field dominated by white men. She shares her experience to support college students and emphasizes the importance of setting goals and adjusting them. Let’s review Shanyelle’s five aspects of goal setting and why they’re important. 

1. Clarity

Setting goals is about determining your destination. Take out a pen and paper and write down your goals. When you initially start writing goals, you write down whatever you want to finish. Ignore priority, magnitude, or precision. You’ll need to restructure your list as you get more comfortable with goal-setting. It assists you in concentrating on tangible and specific goals. 

2. Motivation 

Although not everything is enjoyable, setting goals can help you overcome resistance. As you may have noticed, we often have certain obligations to meet to obtain what we seek. At times, we are incapable of performing even the most basic tasks simply because we lack motivation. These written goals support us to focus on the long-term implications of our hard work.

3. Progression and Measurement 

Bear in mind that your goal setting should be comprehensive. It begins with small goals and progresses to the end goal. In the process, the more success you have in achieving your goals, the more progress you make in a particular area of your life and career. Soon you will see you can accomplish your goals and surpass specific milestones. This will serve to inspire you to do more. You should always set goals and be motivated to set larger ones once you’ve accomplished your current one. 

4. Celebrations

Updating your goals indicates that you’ve accomplished the previous ones. Achieving a goal gives you a sense of accomplishment. The anticipation that accompanies writing a new goal is also the joy of goal-setting. It’s a simple self-congratulatory ritual. 

5. Discipline

Discipline is one of those traits that spills over into all facets of your life. Goal setting is a form of self-control. Not only does setting goals indicate what you should do, but it also suggests what you should not do. You are in control of your behavior in order to achieve your goals more efficiently. 

Even after understanding the importance of setting goals, the process of setting goals can still be daunting. To combat this, break down your large goals into quarterly goals and consider the five directions suggested by Shanyelle. If you can set goals in these five categories, you will have a clearer understanding of the action steps necessary to achieve them.

1. Spiritual Goals

Spiritual goals serve as a link between the inner and outer worlds. More precisely, spiritual goals are the substantive activities that help relax and refresh your mental world. For example, “I will practice yoga for 20 minutes every morning at 10 a.m.” and “I will pray at 7 a.m.” are typical spiritual goals.

2. Personal Goals

Personal goals are mental and physical. Set up goals that will help you stay mentally and physically fit, such as cycling or reading. It is preferable to be precise regarding the time and amount of work to be completed.

3. Family Goals

Our goals aren’t selfish but altruistic. Don’t forget to consider how you will support your loved ones. “Call your parents at least once a week” and “Eat dinner with your brothers and sisters” are good family goal examples. 

4. Financial Goals

Keep an eye on your bills. Your success is dependent upon prudent financial planning. If you lack financial management skills, you should keep track of your daily expenses and set weekly savings goals. Setting specific goals for saving and spending can help you with long-term financial support. 

5. Career Goals

This is the most common type of goal that people set. Career goals contain your academic and business goals. It can be as small as completing an assignment from a professor or brainstorming marketing ideas for your job, or as big as establishing a company or achieving academic achievements. Do not forget to break down large goals into small goals.

Let’s write down your goals from here! Write down anything you want to do with your life. Do not be concerned about the order. Initial goals can be quite small and abstract. Keep sharing your goals with your friends and business coach. It is extremely effective to find areas of overlap. You can motivate each other to achieve goals. If you would like to discuss your career goals, please do not hesitate to contact one of our Career Coaches at the UConn Center for Career Development. They will provide professional guidance to help you navigate the road to success more smoothly.

By Xinyi Zhang
Xinyi Zhang CLAS Career Ambassador