SLP Goals: How to make them. How to follow them.

We all have goals. But the difference between those who pursue and those who dream about goals is being able to clarify and track them. It’s actually that simple. You don’t even have to be super ambitious in order to want goals in your life. If you want to accomplish something. Anything. Having a clearly defined goal and a structured plan for meeting that goal is the only path forward.

Be SMART

SMART goals are ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The acronym actually developed from the business efficiency guru, Peter Drucker, but has extended to all industries including healthcare. You may have first learned about SMART goals (and may even still incorporate them) into your patients’ goals. If not, you should. Because they will increase your chances of actually accomplishing what you set out for yourself (and for your patients) exponentially.

Exhibit A:

Not so SMART goal: I will land my dream job.

SMART goal: I will make ten phone calls from 10:30a-12:00p to potential leads in the next three months in order to get accepted into an acute hospital position within a dedicated and supportive SLP department.

Some people replace the ‘A’ for achievable with an ‘A’ for actionable which I like a lot too. The goal above covers both. Ten phone calls in a day is certainly an achievable goal (my three-year old could handle that one…and actually did once while unsupervised). But it’s also actionable in that it incorporates the action of making phone calls. No confusion there. You know exactly what’s expected of you. What would result from this goal is close to 1000 calls to the right people at the right time (and hopefully, that dream job).

Know before you go

Determining what it is that you want to do is probably the most important component of the goal-making formula (and sometimes the most difficult). Think about what it is you want for yourself then ask yourself “why?” Why do you want the hospital position? Is it more fulfilling? Why? More exciting? Why? And why do you want those things? If you keep asking ‘why’ you’ll eventually get to the core reason behind the kind of life you want to live. This will also help you detail how to get there and the obstacles standing in your way.

Keep your goals small

Another thing you’ll notice with the above example goal is that it’s small. It addresses one small action that you can do consistently day after day to exponentially increase your chances of achieving what you set out to do. There is nothing fancy about it. There is nothing glamorous about it. But it’s the kind of goal that gets results and that is exactly what we are looking for.

Starting small will also help you narrow in on the one thing that will change your life in the most meaningful way. Once you discover what that is, you’ll have to prioritize it over everything else. Which isn’t easy. There is an opportunity cost to everything. When you do something, you’re ignoring the endless opportunity that is hidden in every other option you decided not to pursue. But that’s ok. Because first you’re going to think through what it is that you want to do and why you want to do it. Sit on it for a little while and let it ruminate (but not for too long). After this process, you should be confident in your decision. You’ll know what you want to do. In fact, it’s more than knowing. It’s feeling it at your core like it’s a part of you. This sensation will help you say “no” to all those other possibilities. Saying “yes” is easy. It’s saying “no” that keeps you going in the right direction towards your north star.

Putting in the work

Nothing worth doing is easy. Even small, manageable goals are difficult because the persistency can begin to ware on you. That’s why you have to know if this is something you truly want for yourself. Then you’ll know if the hard work will be worth it. And the concept of making 1000 phone calls without even knowing if it will result in anything is one of those things that will tell you if this is something you truly want. Along the way it’s important to set yourself regular reminders of why you’re doing what you’re doing (a sticky note on your mirror, a note in your calendar, or if you have a particularly poor memory a tattoo on the forehead should probably do the trick). It’s like filling up a gas tank that is inevitably going to run out midway through your trip.

Conclusion

Setting a goal is probably the simplest change that will make the biggest difference in your SLP career. It also separates yourself from a sea of other SLPs trying to do similar things in their career, but without that same intention and direction. Again, you don’t have to be overly ambitious or crazy career-focused to want to set goals. It can be anything you want to improve upon. And if you can’t measure it and effectively track it, you can’t improve upon it (that one’s from Peter Drucker too). Once you see the impact it has on your life, you’ll never want to dream about your goals ever again. You’ll want to pursue them instead.

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Interested in getting some help achieving your goals? Consider applying to our Med SLP Coaching Program. Mention ‘The Scope’ in your application and you’ll be placed at the top of our wait list. Please inquire about pricing.