A career blueprint secret to your own success already exists.

You just have to take the time to discover, develop, and then deploy it.

When it comes down to where you want to go and what you need to do to get there, a career blueprint is needed to help provide actionable steps leading the way.

If you are not clear on what it is you are pursuing, it will be easy to be distracted and get lost along the way.

Creating a career blueprint isn’t easy. But they are easily discoverable. Where the heavy lifting really comes in is during execution, and that’s what deters many people. Many people just aren’t that motivated.

But the ones who are driven by the goals are the ones who reach them.

If you want to reach your career goals, here are some tips on developing a career blueprint that will make it crystal clear on what you need to do and when you need to do it:

Identify your goals

Do the research and internal exploration about what it is you want to do precisely. What is motivating you? Do you enjoy the work you are targeting? Does it match who you are and what you offer? Is it realistic now… or one step ahead in the future?

Having clarity in what you are targeting cuts out the “noise” and distractions. You can dedicate yourself towards a single purpose and goal through a career blueprint that outlines steps needed to achieve those objectives.

Identify mentors / thought leaders

Who do you look up to? What draws you to them? There are likely some attributes, traits, skills, experience, and position within the industry that you admire. Use these people as case studies for success in achieving those blueprint steps.

Get to know these people (and not in a stalker-kinda way) by following them on social media, interacting with them virtually and online, and with in-person meetings.

Sometimes, these people will become mentors. Delve into their background using LinkedIn to find out where their career path has taken them.

Using their template, you can devise your own career blueprint to have a more concrete road to success.

Identify your strengths / weaknesses

Keeping your career blueprint in mind, it’s time to take an honest assessment of your current situation.

What pieces of your career background are in alignment with the career blueprint?

What pieces are missing?

Being brutally honest will help you be as accurate as possible. Remember, it’s how others perceive you that matters, not how you perceive yourself. Many times, people either under or over-estimate themselves.

Ask others to provide feedback on your strengths and weaknesses.  Mentors are a great way to hold up that proverbial mirror in an objective way. Trusted friends, colleagues, and confidants are also good people to ask.

You can also take online assessments of your skills, abilities, and expertise.

Where the gaps lie, it leads to:

Identify steps needed to get to your goals

A career blueprint is now in play. These are the actual steps you need to take to get from Point A to Point B:

• If you are missing a skill, get it through professional development to add to your subject matter expertise.
• But even better yet: ask for a stretch assignment. You can work with a team and build upon your current knowledge by learning from others.
• Volunteering is also a great place for you to acquire the skill and put it into practical application if the opportunity doesn’t present itself at your current employer.
• Ask for a mentor if you don’t have one. Many organizations have succession planning and encourage pairing of experienced personnel with more junior staff.

Remember, anything is possible when you have a career blueprint that helps you get there.