Happy New Year! 

That time of year when we set career development goals.

I love learning. And I suffer big from FOMO. I have—hundreds?—of marketing webinar recordings that I really, really intended to listen. And those “50 Blogs You Must Follow!” lists? Yes, I’ve bookmarked them. But how often do I look at one of those blogs?

As a marketer, you already know how important learning and staying in-the-know is to your career. Marketing changes every. single. day. I’m not talking about the big certifications. I’m referring to everyday knowledge. That 1% of knowledge gained from a blog, quick online course, podcast to improve your present campaigns. And, if your schedule looks anything like mine, you know how hard it can be to work in that 1%.

As I was planning my goals for 2021, I put on my project management hat. I planned and implemented the steps below to sharpen my skills on a daily/weekly basis.

Step 1: Get clarity

Identify your weak spots and/or strong areas that you want to grow. Be specific. Don’t say “improve my writing.” Instead, get narrow. For example, place your focus on improving consumer messaging, writing for landing pages, web copy, or social media.

Step 2: Focus on one thing

Seriously. Focusing on more than one area is setting yourself up for failure. You can always add as you go along, but first start small. Build on your success by becoming accomplished in one area. [Note: This one is hard for me!]

Step 3: Identify your resources

Identify one or two resources—and only one to two resources—that will help you strengthen the skills you have identified. A blog, an online course, podcast, or whatever your source may be. That way when you are ready to learn, you won’t spend 30 minutes deciding where to start, what to read, listen to, etc.

Step 4: What is your system?

Get your system in place. This means, identify WHEN and HOW MUCH TIME you will allow as your “learning time.”  Then schedule it.

This is the biggest game-changer in determining if you will accomplish what you set out to learn. Without a system in place, your goals will stay as big ideas.

I put aside thirty minutes in the morning BEFORE work emails. In the past, I’ve always told myself that I’ll do it after work. Never happened. There are a million excuses: I’m tired. The dog needs walking. Urgent work needs to be delivered. There is always something.

Another tip is deciding the time frame to focus on that one area. For example, you might set a goal for yourself to study writing for landing pages for one month. After that month, you can evaluate if you need to move to another area or add to your current system.

Step 5: Accountability

At the end of each month (or whatever time frame you have set in step 4), ask yourself what you’ve learned. Also, decide how well is your system working for you. You might need to adjust to your learning schedule or expand on your focus areas.

Step 6: Give yourself grace / Know your priorities

Plans are just that. Plans. And they go awry. (Um, COVID?). 

I had a similar plan in 2020. Then March hit and work consumed 12-hour days. My personal studies got pushed aside. Enter real world learning on the fly.  My priority became work along with maintaining mental and physical health—which should ALWAYS be a priority. There was simply no more time.

Recognize that plans change. Give yourself some breathing room.

My goals for 2021?

I’m glad you asked! I am focusing on my writing. As a consumer product marketer, I am tasked with email copy writing, positioning and messaging. My resources are the Product Marketing Alliance (great content here for members!) and Copy Hackers. My goal is 30 minutes 5x times a week. If I can’t find time in the morning, I will squeeze it in between meetings. Instead of social media, use those 10-15 minutes before a meeting to read a quick article.  

One week in. How am I doing so far?

I’ve already recognized I need to change some things. My new goal is 3x a week. Funny how things look on paper or in my head vs. reality!

Remember, it isn’t about meeting a goal.  It is about your progress and getting better 1% each day.

You’re next. What are areas do you want to focus on?