What are your goals?

It's a straightforward question, right?   But just having a goal is the easy part, reaching it is usually where the difficulty lies.

One of my biggest problems is that my goals are never long term enough. I reach one milestone and then put my feet up before embarking on the next.  Stop - Start or starting and not finishing, the story of my life!

I have a PG Journalism diploma, but several years after achieving this and still paying off my student loan, I'm not a working journo. This wouldn't be an issue if my life had changed direction or if being a journalist was no longer my dream, but it's a resounding no on all those counts. Suffice to say 'wasteful' doesn’t quite cut it when I think of the time and money I have invested into my dream.  It’s taken a while to pick myself up by the scruff of the neck, but 2013 is my year , so in January I bit the bullet and signed up to Women in Journalism (WIJ).

Last night I went to ‘What’s Holding You Back: Executive coaching seminar’ with Fran Moscow, hosted by WIJ.  Fran Moscow’s an accredited Executive Coach and Managing Director of her own Consultancy company.

There were lots of tips about networking, getting what you want without alienating your colleagues and most importantly, overcoming self imposed barriers when it comes to achieving you career goals, just what I need.



Let’s play a game. The same game we played at last night’s seminar. You’re never too old play a game, right - or do some colouring in for that matter ;)! Think of someone you really admire and who you believe has been successful in their chosen path.  Write down two traits that you think has made them successful. This works better in a group but if you’re on your own you can think of several people.  

Here’s an example of some the words that our group came up with.

Now try putting these traits into 3 categories:  Attitude, Skill and Knowledge.  Of about 20 traits that we identified yesterday, all but three were classified under Attitude.  Surprising?  You bet! 

People can usually identify the barriers that are holding them back.  But what we don’t always recognise so readily is how self constructed this these walls can be, and how we’re the ones that have to break them down before anything can progress.  How a change in attitude can make the biggest difference, more so than what you know and what your capabilities are.

 Here’s another great piece of advice from Fran:

Have a vision and work back from it to you present. Never work from your past to your future vision, because you’ll only bring your baggage with you.

At the moment I know I’m the biggest obstacle to my goals.  Whenever self doubt or defeatism masquerading as realism take hold and I feel like turning away from opportunities, I have to remember that old saying that nothing ventured is definitely nothing gained.

It was eye opening and equally reassuring to know that in a roomful of varied and capable professionals, all at different stages of their work life, many felt the same insecurities and uncertainties about achieving their career goals as I do.  Just because you’re a seasoned journo or media lovey doesn’t mean you’re hard skinned or that you're adept at networking, as some of my fellow attendees attested to. Buoyed by a final gem from Fran, instead of scurrying away to avoid the post talk networking session, I stuck around this time. Swallowing my intimidation and awkwardness, I chatted to some thoroughly lovely ladies till we were chucked out.

What's the secret.  Just go up to someone, introduce yourself, ask them who they are and go from there. Simple!

Kanika x


ps. Needing more encouragement?  Take some advice from my friend India here. Picture yourself on her sail boat.   Imagine the warm Bahian sun on your face (an electric heater on blast will do), close your eyes and let the lyrics inspire you :).