Page 70 - Keys To Community College Success

To determine your long-term goals, think
about the values that anchor your personal
mission. For example, if you are someone
who values health and fitness, a possible
long-term goal might involve working for an
organic food company or training as a physi-
cal therapist. The stronger the link between
your values and your long-term goals, the
more motivated and successful you are likely
to be in achieving them.

Set Short-Term Goals
Short-term goals narrow your focus and
encourage progress toward long-term goals.
They can last for as long as several months or
as little as an hour. For example, if you have a
long-term goal of getting a nursing degree,
you might set these short-term goals for the
next six months:
Achieving academic goals requires focus. It helps to find a place to work
that has the materials and technology you need and offers minimal ■ I will learn the names, locations, and
distractions.
functions of every human bone and muscle.
■ I will work with a study group to under-
stand the muscular-skeletal system.

You can break down these goals into even smaller parts, such as the following one-
month goals:
■ I will work with on-screen tutorials of the muscular-skeletal system until I under-
stand and memorize the material.
■ I will spend three hours a week with my study partners.
Short-term goals can extend for a week, a day, or even a couple of hours. To support
your goal of regularly meeting with your study partners, you might set the following
short-term goals:
■ By the end of today. Text or email my study partners to ask them when they can meet.
■ One week from now. Schedule each of our weekly meetings for this month.
■ Two weeks from now. Hold our first meeting.
■ Three weeks from now. Type and distribute notes; have second meeting.

These short-term goals might not seem risky to you. However, any action that
requires energy and subjects your work to scrutiny is a risk. The smallest ways in which
you “put yourself out there” can lead, step by step, to the greatest rewards.

Set Up a SMART Goal-Achievement Plan

Use the SMART system to make rewarding goals concrete and increase your chances of
achieving them. SMART is an acronym for a five-part system that makes your goals
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and attached to a Time frame.
■ Specific. Make your goal concrete by using as many details as possible. Focus on
behaviors and events that are under your control and map out specific steps that
will get you there.
■ Measurable. Define your goal in a measurable way, and set up a progress evalua-
tion system such as keeping a journal, setting an alarm on your phone or computer,
or reporting to a friend.

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