Setting clear and actionable goals is essential for a successful career in medical writing, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your freelance health writing business.
Having goals provides direction, drives motivation and enables growth.
Below, we’ll explore the importance of goal setting, give examples of different types of goals and help you take the first step toward your freelance writing success with a SMART goal worksheet.
Why setting goals matters
Your goals form the foundation of your career plan. Every milestone you achieve, from securing new clients to hitting a financial target, should align with your overarching goals. These goals provide clarity, structure and a sense of purpose as you move forward in your medical writing career.
Types of goals
There are many types of goals you can set for your medical writing career, including:
- Financial goals: Setting a target income or a specific amount to charge per project.
- Lifestyle goals: Balancing your work with personal life, such as taking weekends off or working from a certain location.
- Client-based goals: Aiming to secure a specific number of clients or long-term contracts.
Ultimately, the goals you set should reflect what matters most to you. Some people are motivated by financial success, while others prioritise job satisfaction or work-life balance.
Your goals should be unique to you, and there’s no need to compare them to anyone else’s.
Making your goals SMART
For your goals to be effective, it’s essential to make them SMART:
- Specific: Your goal should be clearly defined. For instance, “Earn $4,000 per month” is better than “Make enough money to feel fulfilled.”
- Measurable: Attach a way to measure progress. This could be a specific dollar amount, number of clients or hours worked.
- Achievable: While it’s great to dream big, your goals should be attainable based on your current medical writing skills, resources and time.
- Realistic: Ensure that your goal is feasible within the scope of what you can offer. For example, if you can only work part-time, it may not be realistic to expect a six-figure income in six months.
- Time-bound: Set a deadline or time frame for achieving your goal. This helps you stay focused and motivated.
Setting both short- and long-term goals
It’s important to set both short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals, like securing your first client or completing a specific project, can serve as stepping stones toward achieving your long-term goals, such as earning a certain income or having a steady client base.
Here are a few examples to consider:
- Financial goal: “I want to earn $60,000 in my first year, which breaks down to $5,000 per month.”
- Client goal: “I want to secure five regular clients within 12 months.”
- Work-related goal: “I want to complete four client projects each month.”
- Lifestyle goal: “I want to ensure I have weekends free to spend with my family.”
Setting SMART goals planner
Now, let’s dive into a practical activity to help you set your own SMART goals. Use the planner below to reflect on your current situation and future aspirations.
MY CURRENT GOAL IS: (Write down your current goal here)
Questions to help you identify your goals
If you’re unsure about your goals, ask yourself:
- What do you want to achieve in 3 months?
- What do you want to achieve in 12 months?
- How much money do you want to make in your first year in business?
- How many clients do you want to secure in your first 6 months?
- How many days per week do you want to work on your freelance health writing business?
Questions to determine whether your goals are worthwhile
For each goal you set, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is your goal SMART?
- Specific: Is your goal specific enough?
- Measurable: How will you measure your goal?
- Attainable: Do you have everything you need (e.g., skills) to achieve this goal?
- Realistic: Are your goals realistic given your current offering?
- Time-bound: What is the timeframe for your goal?
- Do you really want this goal?
- What is the purpose of this goal?
- What benefits will achieving this goal bring?
- How will you measure success?
- What could impact your ability to achieve this goal (e.g., financial constraints, skill limitations)?
- How will this goal contribute to the overall success of your freelance health writing business?
- Are there any barriers to achieving this goal?
- What will the impact be if you don’t achieve this goal?
Keep adjusting your goals
Remember that goals aren’t set in stone. As you achieve certain milestones, you may need to adjust your goals or set new ones to continue your growth. I started with a simple financial target when I launched my freelance health writing business. As soon as I hit my initial target, I set new, more ambitious goals to push myself further.
The final word
Now that you’ve set your SMART goals, keep them in mind as you move forward with your freelance health writing career. Review them regularly, track your progress and adjust them as needed. If you ever feel unsure about your goals or how to make them SMART, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for guidance.
Good luck, and happy goal setting!
