You Reached a Dream Milestone, Where Do You Turn Next?

For some women in technology, the dream milestone is becoming financially independent.  Or raising a family while working from home.  Or selling a business.  Or landing your dream job.  Or graduating from college.  Or retiring.  Or like me recently, getting engaged.

We each have personal and professional goals in life that take us further along our drive on our personally enriching lifelong road.  But once you reach a critical fork in the road, what do you do next to decide what goal to tackle next?

1. Take a deep breathe and enjoy the view.

You need to stop and enjoy the roses at your destination.  You made it!  Don’t worry about what’s next.  Take a break, hit the spa and relax.  Even if you don’t have a goal or plan in place for what’s next, that’s not a problem because there is much more to come – your imagination will take you there!

2. What’s your 1-, 3-, 5- year vision now?

Where do you see yourself going in the next few years?  Or, what’s that next big audacious goal you want to tackle next?  Can you see yourself doing it?  What about the path to get there?  Begin to articulate with friends, on your computer and with family what you “see” yourself doing next.  You have to have a vision before you begin the next step.

3. Planning your new plan.

It’s time to make a “plan for a plan”.

• What are all the objectives and actions you need to take to make it to your new goal, and are they mapped out along a time line?
• What resources do you need along the journey - be it tools, people or other types of resources?
• Do you have a mentor to help you get there?
• What past experiences can you apply to this new goal?
• Do you have opportunities in front of you to help speed up getting to your next milestone?
• Are you aware of the threats that may move you away from your milestone, and what you are going to do when they come your way?
• What obstacles are in front of you that you need to overcome to achieve your goal?
• Is there anyone taking the ride with you?
• Is your heart and mind in the right place to move you forward?

There are all types of factors you need to think about as you embark on your next journey.  The above is a great starting point to make sure you are very prepared for the next trip.

4. Go forth.

Once the honeymoon of the new achievement is over (give yourself a month), charge ahead as you are now rejuvenated to reach your next destination.

Now, who said us women could only achieve 1-2 things in life?  Go dream and live it all!

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