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Career Transition Goals: 10 Actions You Can Do This Week
Typography-first hero image for career transition goals with the heading 10 Goals, One Week, Real Progress, a person writing goals at a desk, weekly planner, and a purple background.

10 Career Transition Goals That Actually Work

Your old job ended. The next step is still hazy. The space in between can feel scary, like standing at a cliff. Christine Carter’s book, Restart Strong, meets you right there. It offers simple tools you can use today, plus real care for the mess and doubt that often show up in this season .

Here is the core idea I want you to try: write ten goals, then add small sub-goals you can do this week. This is how you shift from worry to forward motion, one clear step at a time .

Why Ten Goals Change Your Momentum

Ten goals give you room to include your whole life, not just your next title. Carter invites you to set goals across areas like Professional, Financial, Physical, Spiritual, Relational, and Personal. When you do this, you start to build energy from many directions, which fuels your career move too. It is said that seven of the ten may often come to life, and the act of writing them is a spark for real change .

Under the surface, there is something deeper. These goals are not only tasks. They are practice for who you are becoming. Align your ten with a simple mission statement, so your daily choices reflect your values and your desired identity in work and life .

How To Build Your 10 Goals

Here is how to do it, step by step, like we are talking over coffee.

1) Write a short mission statement

One or two lines that say your why and the impact you want to have. Keep it simple. This becomes your compass for decisions and tradeoffs .

2) Choose ten goals across life areas

Pick goals from the six categories listed above. A wide set of goals keeps you strong during change. It also reminds you that you are more than your last job title .

3) Add sub-goals you can control this week

For each goal, list small, clear actions. If your career goal is a FinTech director role by a certain date, your sub-goals might be:

  • Complete an industry scan and name 20 target employers by a set date
  • Attend one industry event each week
  • Meet three new contacts for coffee each week
  • Send three tailored applications per dayThese steps keep the power in your hands and stack wins fast .

4) Make every goal S.M.A.R.T.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. Swap vague lines like “learn more” for clear lines like “finish one course this month” or “publish one industry article each month.” Precise goals build momentum you can feel .

5) Review daily, refine quarterly

Keep your ten goals visible. Read them each day if you can, or each week at minimum. Adjust quarterly as you learn. Your goals should evolve as you do .

Two Simple Boosters Most People Skip

The One Big Thing

Pick one high-impact commitment that would make everything easier, like a daily focus habit or a monthly course. Naming one big thing gives your week a clear center of gravity .

Stop, Start, Continue

Make space for the new. Decide what you will stop doing, what you will start trying, and what you will continue to nourish. For many, this includes letting go of clinging to the old title, starting self-compassion, and continuing to build supportive relationships .

Build A Personal Brand That Matches Your Goals

Your next role will come faster when others can see your story. Carter suggests a simple trifecta: on paper, online, and in person.

  • On paper: refresh your resume with strong action words and results.
  • Online: update your LinkedIn so it shows your past and points to your future.
  • In person: shape a short, clear pitch so people know who you are and how to help.This coherence makes you memorable and helps your network open doors for you .

Protect Your Momentum With People

You do not have to do this alone. A coach, a small peer circle, or a group with shared goals can keep you steady and help you notice chances you might miss. The right support brings accountability and fresh eyes when your energy dips .

Design Your Work To Fit Your Life

Before you chase a title, check how the role fits your real life. Do you want remote work, a routine schedule, or more travel? Talk to people who already work that way. Choose roles that fit the life you want, then set goals that lead there. Let your job be a vehicle that carries you toward a life you have chosen, not a destination that runs your life .

When Doubt Shows Up

If your mind is asking, “What if I fail” or “Did I miss my chance,” you are not alone. Many people in transition ask the same questions. The key is to keep moving with small steps you can do now, and to tell your story with honesty and hope. As James Clear reminds us, “Move toward the next thing, not away from the last thing. Same direction. Completely different energy” .

Quick-Start Checklist For Your Ten Goals

  • Write a two-line mission statement that captures your why and your impact .
  • Draft ten goals across Professional, Financial, Physical, Spiritual, Relational, and Personal, then add three sub-goals to each .
  • Make each goal S.M.A.R.T., then schedule the first action for today .
  • Choose your One Big Thing for this quarter .
  • Run a Stop, Start, Continue to create space and focus .
  • Tune up your personal brand on paper, online, and in person so others can see and support your goals .
  • Ask one person to check in with you weekly for accountability .

If you want more practical ideas on targeted goals during a pivot, you might also like this related piece, Career Transition Success: Effective Strategies from Restart Strong: https://inkflare.ai/profile/christine-carter/blog/career-transition-success-effective-strategies-from-restart-strong/

A Closing Nudge

Pick one goal you can write down today. Take the smallest action that proves you mean it. As Carter notes, writing your goals makes them real, then daily steps turn them into your new chapter .

Restart Strong is Christine Carter’s call to rebuild with clarity and heart. Your next day can look different. Start here, one line, one action, one honest step at a time.