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• 1. Self Assessment
• 2. Research
• 3. Decision-Making
  • 3.1 Decision-Making Elements
  • 3.2 Career Objectives
  • 3.3 Personal Objectives
    • 3.3.1 My Career, Personal & Community Objectives
  • 3.4 Lifelong Learning
    • 3.4.1 Learning Plan Chart
    • 3.4.2 Graduate School
  • 3.5 Goal Setting
    • 3.5.1 Goal Action Form
• 4. Networks & Contacts
• 5. Work
• 6. Life/Work Planning

Step 3.3: Personal Objectives

Your life is comprised of several parts that work together to bring the balance needed for optimal wellness:

• Physical: nutritious food, safe water, healthy air, exercise

• Mental: intellectual challenges, knowledge, thoughts

• Emotional: feelings, belonging, security

• Philosophical: authenticity, spirituality, meaning, attitudes

• Social: relationships with others, friendships

• Career: finances, fulfillment

• Recreational: leisure, fun, sports

An overabundance or a deficiency in one area can affect other components (e.g., overwork in your career can cause physical exhaustion leading to illness, stress resulting in emotional upsets affecting social relationships, and mental inefficiencies impacting decision-making).

Physical fitness has a major impact on your overall wellness. Employers also benefit through decreased medical costs and improved productivity on the job, two important considerations when more work is spread over fewer people. During the past two years, how many days were you off work or school due to medical reasons? Can you, or do you want to, offer a potential employer the advantages that go with a healthy lifestyle? What changes, if any, need to be implemented to increase your stamina and endurance?

In conjunction with your career objectives from the section above, decide upon your goals in other areas of your life: family and friends; sports and physical fitness; leisure activities including travel; and finances including retirement funding, etc. Community service and personal/career development are covered in the next two sections. 

Community Service Objectives

Community organizations, whether local, national or international in scope, provide opportunities for individuals to give to society and build their careers. You are able to support a community service compatible with your beliefs and geared toward your leisure needs. It is important that you make the same type of commitment to the organization as you would to your favourite employer. The organization will be counting on you to do the job as conscientiously as a paid employee.

List 3-5 organizations or community needs that you are interested in helping with. Interview the person in charge to determine if your goals and theirs are compatible, and if working together will meet both your needs. When you have made a decision on where you would like to volunteer, agree upon the number of hours, the times you will be available, your specific duties and responsibilities, any training you require, your out-of-pocket expenses, etc. Having a written, signed contract will alleviate any misunderstandings, which might jeopardize your reputation in the future.

You can record your career, personal and community objectives using the following chart. Click on the text :

View it as a normal Web page and print it.

To continue to the next Section, Step 3.4, click here.