1. Don’t Do It Like ME! Setting Realistic Short- Term Goals Stacey Schultz-Cherry Associate Member Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

2. Are you kidding?

3. What do other people do? Undergrads What’s a What’s a short- term goal? What’s a Hmmmm?

4. PhD students & Postdocs What’s a Daily to do list for expts then short term goals for grad school stuff What’s a Over-arching long term goal broken into daily things to accomplish Stacey tells me what to do Make a list example – submit NRSA What do other people do?

5. Colleagues

6. So – how do you set a short-term goal? 1.What is a short-term goal? A goal or objective is a desired result a person or a system envisions, plans andpersonsystem commits to achieve—a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.deadlines It is roughly similar to purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value.purposeendobjectphysical objectabstract objectintrinsic value What the heck? What it’s not is a “TO DO” LIST

7. So – how do you set a short-term goal? 1.Be Realistic (not overly ambitious; timely) Examples: Write my preliminary exam Apply for my NRSA Prepare my tenure package Write the introduction to my preliminary exam by Tuesday Discuss the aims of my NRSA with my advisor tomorrow am Prepare the teaching portion of my tenure package today Give yourself a deadline

8. So – how do you set a short-term goal? 2.Be Specific Examples: Get good grades in Dr. Ahlquist’s Molecular Virology Class Network at the ASV meeting Hire a technician On Tuesday from 8 – 10 pm complete the homework and study the notes in Mol Virol At the dance on Tuesday night, I’m going to meet 3 senior members in my field On Monday, submit personnel requisition to HR Be specific for short-term goals

9. So – how do you set a short-term goal? 3.Prioritize Consider looming deadlines and plan smart! 4.Use a simple method to track your goals

10. So – how do you set a short-term goal? 4.Mark off your goals when they are accomplished

11. Is it really that important? What’s a What’s a short- term goal? 1.9 X 3.0

12. Things to consider 1. Will help with time management 2. Related to long-term goals 3. Self-confidence 4. Interview question 5. Goals are going to change stage of career S - Specific (or Significant). M - Measurable (or Meaningful). A - Attainable (or Action-Oriented). R - Realistic T - Time-framed (or Trackable)

13. Questions?