A New Way to Think About Professional Goals

School librarians, due to their versatility and general awesomeness, tend to wear a lot of hats. At last count I have 6 lovely hats at my school that I wear and juggle with pride. I am the librarian (my favorite hat), the gifted teacher, the local IT person, the professional development coordinator, and a trainer on several kinds of technology.  However, in the wash of all of the obligations, expectations, and business, it is easy to loose focus of your professional trajectory. Where you have been and where you want to go are important. I often find myself frozen between all of the tasks. Stock still between the stacks, I shuffle the task cards in my brain and try to take another step. Its frustrating and, in the end of the year stress, crippling. So as an exercise to center myself and find some forward momentum, I decided to work on some personal professional goals. Crafting goals for me can be motivating and cathartic. It gives you actionable items and things to look forward to. 

Now goal setting can be daunting and complicated, I spent a whole class in Library School trying to decipher the difference between goals and objectives for Grant Writing. And it took me even longer to figure out how they affect each other and should be formatted. So I try and follow three steps that I wanted to share.

1. Find things that Inspire You

I spend a fair amount of time every week, reviewing my blog feed on Feedly and skimming through my favorite twitter chats (#edtech, #tlchat, #FAMEchat). I have librarian and blogger crushes that continuously inspire me to work harder and try new things. I read a lot of articles. And without fail I run into an idea or project that gets me thinking or a tool that I could use. 

 So take that time for your own professional development and take notes on what makes your heart race and brain twitch with ideas. Pile together those links, websites, and books in your Google Keep or to do list so they don't spill out your ears. 

2. How will it change your life?

Now a laundry list of projects is not going to change your life, it probably will make you feel like you are sinking. A nice tidy rock of why you aren't doing enough to weigh you down. Blub. Blub. Blub. 

So take the time to review those fun inspiring ideas. Think reflectively about whether they would add anything to your Media Program. You area already doing amazing things. But maybe you could enhance your mission or share your awesomeness in a new way. These are the big shiny pies in the sky to keep you moving. 

3. Write it everywhere! 

Post your shiny new goals everywhere! The key to them happening is making sure you think they are amazing and important because it is you that is going to be doing the heavy lifting and grunt work! I use my Google Keep and reminder clothesline ( pictured above) to keep them in my face all the time. My coworkers notice and comment on them and I can't get to my To Do list without seeing them. They are 

Next Step: Make an action plan! (or Objectives for lay folks...) 

If you are ready for more of a challenge, try to write out the steps that will take you to your goal!