“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Proverbs 29:18
"Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal."
Elbert Hubbard
When I talk to others about my college experience, the first thing I explain is that I wandered around aimlessly for several years as a senior.The first three years of college went quickly, but, after I started my senior year, I got stuck.This is due to the increased responsibilities of motherhood.Each time I had a child, the pressures increased and I lost focus.It was tough to manage school and home life.
After awhile, I got frustrated with school and only took a class here and there.There was no consistency, so graduating always seemed so far away.At this point, no one had ever taught me how to set and reach goals.This was the missing factor in my college experience.Success was at my fingertips.All it would take is a pen and piece of paper, but for a long time my goals went unwritten.
Even after I began to study goal-setting, it took some time for me to realize that I should apply goal-setting to my education.Sure, I used it for my career and home management, but I didn't use it to complete my college degree.It wasn't until I had an “ah hah” moment that I realized how beneficial goal-setting would be to my education.
What many of us do not realize is that when planned, almost anything can be accomplished.Even when the desired goal is long-term and takes many years, we can set goals in such a way that the time seems to pass by quickly.When we are focused on a goal and break it down in to smaller goals, it is almost as though time speeds up, but, truthfully, we are just distracted by reaching the smaller goals.Suddenly, we finish the last smaller goal and we have reached the bigger goal that was so far away.
When I said time seemed to pass by quickly, I used the word seemed.This is due to the fact that time doesn’t speed up or slow down.Time only seems to speed up, because we are focused on accomplishing each goal.It can become a game as we set and reach goals.The ones who find it fun and exciting go on to set and reach many goals.After they get done with one goal, they are off looking for the next goal they can reach.
For example, if my children are bored and the day seems to go by slow, I suggest they help me clean house and suddenly they proclaim they aren’t bored anymore.Well, that is because, when I suggest they help me clean the house, they found something else that was constructive and distracted them.Now, if only I could get them to take me up on my cleaning offer.
“A man who does not plan long ahead will have trouble at his door.”
Confucius
One day, I decided to apply my goal-setting knowledge to my degree, and I made a degree plan that would change my life and increase my self-confidence exponentially.I had made small plans, but this time it was more elaborate.This goal had detail and helped me visualize exactly what I desired, and I also became aware of why I wanted my college degree.
It wasn't just about what and why, but my plan also explained the when, where, and who.Every day, I would look at my plan to motivate myself.Many times, I would visualize myself walking across the stage receiving my diploma.This visualization also included how I would feel and how much fun we would have at the graduation party.
Before I wrote my plan, I decided I wanted my degree to increase personal development, increase income and career opportunities, and to set an example for my children.Next, I wrote out every class I needed to complete my degree plan.At this time, I decided to write a deadline for each class.In the following paragraphs, I have written exactly how I designed my college plan, and I’ve also included an example of a goal plan.This goal plan is simple, because not everyone has time or the need for a complicated goal plan.Sometimes, we can become so complicated that we get to caught up in the actual plan and lose focus of our ultimate goal.
When we create our goal plans, we need to have detailed information that will help as we work toward our goal.First, we need to state our goal in specific terms, such as a Bachelors of Art in Literature.If we write down a college degree, we are less likely to visual a degree in our hands.It is important to know exactly what you want, so you can stay focused on the desired goal.One of my problems in the past was vacillating between degrees, so, when I wrote down a specific degree, I stopped hopping from one degree plan to the next.This is a major reason why I actually reached my goal, because I had it written down and could read it whenever I felt overwhelmed or ready to give up.
Second, I calculated how many hours I needed to complete my senior year.Next, I divided the hours needed by 3, because each class was 3 hours.This gave me the number of classes I needed to complete my degree.We are more likely to complete a goal if we know the specific steps needed.In college, each class is a step we take to move closer to our goal.In working toward receiving a promotion at work, specific tasks are steps we can take to reach our goals.These steps are actions that move us closer and closer to our ultimate goal.
Third, I examined what I had accomplished in the past and wrote the hours already completed.Sometimes, if we don’t feel close to completion, we are unable to see what we have already done toward our goals.There may be small things that you have done already, which can make a huge difference.When we add up all the small steps already taken, we usually realize how close we really are to reaching our goals.There is no such thing as an unimportant goal, so we need to take each goal into account.
Fourth, I wrote down the hours left to complete.For other goals this could be the tasks or steps that we need to reach the main goal.This is an important step, because we need to know how far away we are from the finish line.As we accomplish a goal, we can mark the number out and make it smaller until it is at zero.Once it is at zero, we have completed the goal and ready for a new challenge.
Fifth, I wrote down the classes that I needed to take.In my university, there were several that you could take for a specific degree plan.Although I could choice at the time of enrollment what I wanted to take, I decided to write all the classes I wanted before I enrolled in the first class.This way, I didn’t give myself any room for excuses.Sometimes, when we don’t plan, we can find excuses for not accomplishing a goal.When enrollment came around, I could say, “Oh, well, I just don’t know what class to take, so I’m not taking a class this session.”This eliminated the time wasted looking through the class list each session.At the time of registration, I sent in my paperwork without hesitation, because I knew exactly what I was taking at that time.
Sixth, due to the type of business school I attended, I had a choice of lecture and online classes.As I wrote my plan, I decided if I wanted to attend the classes at the university or take them online.For me, online classes were the best choice, but, at times, it was nice to get away and participate in a class full of students. A few of my classes ended up at the college, but, most of the time, I was able to complete the course at home.This especially helped when my mom went into the hospital and when I got pregnant.
Seventh, we all have busy, full lives and need to understand there will be obstacles.It is very important to write down the obstacles that might arise in the process of trying to reach our goals.When we write them down, they are easier to prepare for them as they arise.For example, when I was pregnant with my youngest son, I knew that there would be times that I didn’t feel good or needed to visit my doctor and that they would take time away from studying.This helped to keep me on track and ahead of schedule.
Eighth, right under the obstacle section, we must write out our solutions.When these problems arise, we can look at our solutions and pick the best one.What if we have children who go to soccer practices?If they have practices on Tuesdays and games on Saturday, then these are times we will not study or complete a task.For example, there are weekdays that Brenton, my knight in shining armor, will take the kids and let me work on my writing or studying.This helps me get things done that I couldn’t do while I took the kids to a doctors’ appointment.
Ninth, I wrote down my desired graduation date.This is where I became very real, because, although I wanted to graduate that spring, I knew that my life was busy and I needed to take in account for all my responsibilities.When I made the plan, I was starting summer fun with my family, so taking more than two classes at a time was out of the question.After that summer, I realized any more than two classes at anytime would be difficult, because of my responsibilities at home.From that time on, I took two classes for fall, spring, and summer sessions.Due to the shortened winter session, I only took one class, because I knew two classes would be too stressful.After I figured out how many classes I could take, I decided to set a date for August of 2009.
On August 19, 2009, I completed my bachelors and applied for graduation.The next graduation ceremony was not until November of 2009, but that was okay with me.Finally, I had completed my college degree and was happily a waiting the graduation ceremony.When the ceremony came, my family and I had a great time celebrating.All the hard work and planning was worth it all.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin
A Goal-Setting Plan
Goal: Graduate with Masters of Science in Human Relations
Hours Total:36
Hours Completed To Date: 9
Hours Needed for Completion: 27
Classes Needed:
1.Leadership
2.Ethics
3.Psychology of Adjustment
4.Organizational Behavior
5.Critical Analysis of Media
6.Communications in Organizations
7.Human Resource
8.Management Practices
9.Compensation Management
Type of classes to take: Online Classes Only
Obstacles: Children’s schedules; Husband’s schedule
Solutions to Obstacles: Write a detailed schedule and include studying times.Put the schedule on the refrigerator for the whole family to see.If necessary, get a baby sitter or leave husband with kids and go study at the local coffee shop or library.
Projected Graduation Date: May 2014
Where I went to college was also an important factor.In the past, I had attended a junior college and a major university.Now, I needed a four year college that was designed for someone who had limited time and energy.This was when I found a business college that was for adults who were either professionals or stay-at-home moms like me, so they offered night, Saturday morning, and online classes.We had all attended colleges elsewhere, but had to drop out and get jobs or raise a family.My favorite classes were online, so I didn’t have to leave my family to attend classes.From time to time, I also attended Saturday morning classes from.
Dost thou love life?Then do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of.”
Benjamin Franklin
Once the plan was put into action, it only took me a year to finish my senior year.August 2009, I completed my last class for my bachelors of science in human relations and business.Now, I am making plans to complete my masters of science in human relations and business.The plan for my masters is written and it is ready for execution.
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
For this week’s challenge, we need to set and reach as many goals as possible.Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe was right when he said what we become is more important than what we get by reaching our goals.When I completed my college goal plan, I had become efficient and accomplished.Everything I learned from setting the goals and reaching them, the classes I took, and the teachers and fellow students I met helped me to grow and mature beyond what I thought was possible.
As we meet each goal, the next ones should be more and more challenging.If we don’t challenge ourselves, then our lives can become stagnant.It is an amazing feeling to complete one goal and go on to an even tougher and more complicated goal.This creates an adventurous spirit in us that makes life worth living.
* To receive a Goal-Setting Worksheet, please email me at mymondaymaptosuccess@gmail.com.