SPSU 1001 Hitchhiker’s Guide to SPSU Goals and Goal Setting Copyright © 2010 by Bob Brown

Influencing the Future Prediction is hard, especially about the future. – Yogi Berra The things you do today influence what will happen tomorrow. Although we cannot predict the future, we can certainly influence it.

Planning Horizons Today This week This month This semester Before graduation The rest of your life Short range Medium range Long range You must plan with respect to all three horizons.

Start with Long Range Goals Answer questions like: Why am I attending college? What do I want to achieve by graduation? What do I want to be doing a year after graduation? Five years after graduation?

Other Goals Support Long-Range Goals Short-range and medium-range goals should (generally) help you make progress toward your long-term goals.

“Good” Goals are SMART Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-based

Setting Specific Goals Goals should be clear and concrete Examples: “Make good grades” – not specific. “Maintain a 3.5 GPA” – much better. “Earn grades of A in these classes…” – very specific. Specific goals state exactly what you want to accomplish. A few long range goals may be less specific.

Setting Measurable Goals Every goal must have a measurement. Measuring tells whether or not you met the goal. Example: If your (medium-range) goal is to earn a grade of A in every class, at the end of the semester you will know whether you achieved that goal. “Make good grades” is much harder to assess.

Setting Attainable Goals Your goals should challenge you, not defeat you. It is OK to dream impossible dreams, but setting impossible goals will not help you. “Attainable” does not mean “easy.” Your goals should require a stretch, but make it a realistic one. Achieving a goal should give you a feeling of accomplishment; set the bar high enough.

Setting Relevant Goals Your long range goals describe the important parts of how you want to live your life. Your short and medium term goals should be relevant to your long range goals. If a short range goal does not advance a medium or long range goal, consider whether it is appropriate. In college, put academic goals first.

Setting Time-Based Goals Goals with no deadline seldom get accomplished. Some deadlines are established for you. Example: studying for a test. Establish realistic deadlines for the others. Remember time management.

Exercise Using the worksheet write down five things that you want to accomplish this week (i.e. by the coming weekend.) The five things must be related to your academic success. Your goals must be SMART. Include deadline and measure of success. You may, but need not, include information about obstacles and overcoming them.

Questions