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Career/Life Planning and Personal Exploration

I. Identifying Your Career Profile

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Chapter 2: Goals and Motivations

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,

and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will
meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

–Henry David Thoreau

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
 Explain how time management plays a factor in goal setting,
leading to short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives.
 Identify your specific short, medium, and long-term goals.
 Identify and apply motivational strategies to support goal
achievement.
 Explore the social aspects of achieving goals (networking,
social media, etc.).
 Brainstorm factors that might hinder goal achievement and
possible ways to address these issues.

Time Management and Goal Setting

There is no doubt that doing well in college is a sizable challenge.

Every semester you have to adjust to new class schedules,
instructors, classmates as well as learning objectives and
requirements for each course. Along with that, you may be juggling
school with work, family responsibilities, and social events. Do you
feel confident that you can attend to all of them in a balanced,
committed way? What will be your secret of success?

SUCCESS BEGINS WITH GOALS

A goal is a desired result that you envision and then plan and commit to
achieve. Goals can relate to family, education, career, wellness,
spirituality, and many other areas of your life. Generally, goals are
associated with finite time expectations, even deadlines.

As a college student, many of your goals are defined for you. For
example, you must take certain courses, you must comply with
certain terms and schedules, and you must turn in assignments at
specified times. These goals are mostly set for you by someone
else.

But there are plenty of goals for you to define yourself. For example,
you decide what you would like to major in. You decide how long
you are going to be in college or what terms you want to enroll in.
You largely plan how you would like your studies to relate to
employment and your career.

Goals can also be sidetracked. Consider the following scenario in

which a student makes a discovery that challenges her to reexamine
her goals, priorities, and timetables:
 Janine had thought she would be an accountant, even though
she knew little about what an accounting job might entail. Her
math and organizational skills were strong, and she enjoyed
taking economics courses as well as other courses in her
accounting program. But when one of her courses required
her to spend time in an accounting office working with taxes,
she decided that accounting was not the right fit for her, due
to the higher-stress environment and the late hours.

At first she was concerned that she invested time and money
in a career path that was not a good fit. She feared that
changing her major would add to her graduation time.
Nevertheless, she did decide to change her major and her
career focus.
Janine is now a statistician with a regional healthcare system.
She is very happy with her work. Changing her major from
accounting to statistics was the right decision for her.

This scenario represents some of the many opportunities we have,

on an ongoing basis, to assess our relationship to our goals,
reevaluate priorities, and adjust. Opportunities exist every day—
every moment, really!

Below is a set of questions we can ask ourselves at any turn to help

focus on personal goals:

1. What are my top-priority goals?

2. Which of my skills and interests make my goals realistic for
me?
3. What makes my goals believable and possible?
4. Are my goals measurable? How long will it take me to reach
them? How will I know if I have achieved them?
5. Are my goals flexible? What will I do if I experience a
setback?
6. Are my goal controllable? Can I achieve them on my own?
7. Are my goals in sync with my values?

As you move through your college career, make a point to ask these
questions regularly.

Aids to Successful Goal Setting

Watch the following overview of SMART goals – a memory aid in
setting and evaluating goals to ensure that they
are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound.
After watching the video, complete Activity 2.1.

ACTIVITY 2.1: IDENTIFYING YOUR GOALS

In order to achieve long-term goals (from college on), you will need
to first achieve a series of shorter goals. Medium-term goals (this
year and while in college) and short-term goals (today, this week,
and this month) may take several days, weeks, months, or even a
few years to complete, depending on your ultimate long-term
goals. Complete the following Goals Activityto identify short and
medium-term goals that will help you achieve your long-term goal.

Objectives

1. Identify 1 long-term academic or career goal.

2. Identify two related medium-term and two related short-
term goals that will help you achieve your long-term goal.
3. Identify specific, measurable, achievable, relevant activities to
achieve your identified goals by a certain timeframe.

Instructions

 Review the worksheet below, and fill in the blank sections to

the best of your ability.

Guidelines

 Phrase goals as positive statements: Affirm your excitement

and enthusiasm about attaining a goal by using positive
language and expectations.
 Be exact: Set a precise goal that includes dates, times, and
amounts, so that you have a basis for measuring your
progress.
 Prioritize: Select your top goals, and put them in order of
importance. This helps you understand the degree to which
you value each of them. It will also help you better manage
related tasks and not feel overwhelmed.
 Take the lead: Identify goals that are linked to your own
performance, not dependent on the actions of other people or
situations beyond your control.
 Be realistic but optimistic and ambitious: The goals you set
should be achievable, but sometimes it pays to reach a little
 higher than what you may think is possible. Certainly don’t set
your goals too low.
 Be hopeful, excited, and committed: Your enthusiasm and
perseverance can open many doors! 
WHAT I AM DOING NOW
GOAL PRIORITIES MY PRECISE GOALS
GOALS

Example: I plan to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. My major will be Radio- I am attending the college
Long-term goal Television-Film, and my minor will be Spanish good grades in my major.

Example:
I need to get busy with thi
Related medium-term I would like to study abroad in Spain before I graduate.
goal about what I need to do n

Example:
I have filled out the forms
Related short-term I will need to get financial aid for at least a portion of my studies.
goal applied for a part-time job

Identify your
Long-term goal

 Identify a related
medium-term goal
#1

 Identify a related
medium-term goal
#2

 Identify a related
short-term goal #1

 Identify a related
short-term goal #2

Motivational Strategies to Support You

Every day we make choices. Some are as simple as what clothes

we decide to wear, what to eat for lunch, or how long to study for a
test. But what about life-altering choices—the ones that leave us at
a crossroads? How much thought do you give to taking Path A
versus Path B? Do you like to plan and schedule your choices, by
making a list of pros and cons, for instance? Or do you prefer to
make decisions spontaneously and just play the cards that life deals
you as they come?

The videos that follow are about choices for success. The
first video introduces you to “growth mindset” by Carol Dweck and
the second video discusses “grit” quality by Angela
Duckworth. Watch them with a keen eye and ear. Take notes, too.
You might pick up some good ideas for strategies that can help you
reach your goals.

The power of “yet” by Carol Dweck

Carol Dweck is a professor at Stanford and the author of Mindset, a

classic work on motivation and “growth mindset.” Her work is
influential among educators and increasingly among business
leaders as well. She researches “growth mindset” — the idea that
we can grow our brain’s capacity to learn and to solve problems. In
this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s
slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve
it … or have you just not solved it yet?

https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believin
g_that_you_can_improve

Passion and Perseverance or “Grit” by Angela Duckworth

Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a

job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school.
She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the
successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains
her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_pow
er_of_passion_and_perseverance

After watching the videos, reflect on how you can improve the ways
you currently set goals to allow you the opportunity to apply “grit”
and use your “growth mindset” in order to successfully accomplish
your goals.

Social Aspects of Achieving Your Goals

Setting goals can be a challenge, but working toward

them, once you’ve set them, can be an even greater challenge—
often because it implies that you will be making changes in your life.
You might be creating new directions of thought or establishing new
patterns of behavior, discarding old habits or starting new ones.
Change will always be the essence of achieving your goals.

You may find that as you navigate this path of change, one of your
best resources is your social network. Your family, friends,
roommates, coworkers, and others can help you maintain a steady
focus on your goals. They can encourage and cheer you on,
offer guidance when needed, share knowledge and wisdom they’ve
gained, and possibly partner with you in working toward shared
goals and ambitions. Your social network is a gold mine of support.

Here are some easy ways you can tap into goal-supporting “people
power”:

 Make new friends

 Study with friends
 Actively engage with the college community
 Volunteer to help others
 Join student organizations
 Get an internship
 Work for a company related to your curriculum
 Stay connected via social media (but use it judiciously)*
 Keep a positive attitude
 Congratulate yourself on all you’ve done to get where you are

*A note about social media: More than 98 percent of college-age

students use social media, says Experian Simmons. Twenty-seven
percent of those students spent more than six hours a week on
social media (UCLA, 2014). The University of Missouri, though,
indicates in a 2015 study that this level of use may be problematic. It
can lead to symptoms of envy, anxiety, and depression. Still,
disconnecting from social media may have a negative impact, too,
and further affect a student’s anxiety level.

Is there a healthy balance? If you feel overly attached to social

media, you may find immediate and tangible benefit in cutting back.
By tapering your use, your can devote more time to achieving your
goals. You can also gain a sense of freedom and more excitement
about working toward your goals.

Dealing with Setbacks and Obstacles

At times, unexpected events and challenges can get in the way

of best-laid plans. For example, you might get sick or injured or need
to deal with a family issue or a financial crisis. Earlier in this section
we considered a scenario in which a student realized she needed to
change her major and her career plans. Such upsets, whether minor
or major, may trigger a need to take some time off from school—
perhaps a term or a year. Your priorities may shift. You may need to
reevaluate your goals.

Problem-Solving Strategies

Below is a simple list of four problem-solving strategies. They can be

applied to any aspect of your life.

1. What is the problem? Define it in detail. How is it affecting me

and other people?
2. How are other people dealing with this problem? Are they
adjusting their time management skills? Can they still complete
responsibilities, and on time?
3. What is my range of possible solutions? Are solutions
realistic? How might these solutions help me reach my goal/s?
4. What do I need to do to implement solutions?

You may wish to also review the earlier set of questions about
focusing with intention on goals.

Be confident that you can return to your intended path in time.

Acknowledge the ways in which you need to regroup. Read inspiring
words from people who have faced adversity and gained. Line up
your resources, be resolved, and proceed with certainty toward your
goals.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Success with goals (any goals—education, family, career, finances, etc.) is

essentially a three-part process:
1. Identify your goals (specifically long-term, medium-term and
short-term goals).
2. Set priorities to accomplish these goals.
3. Manage your time according to the priorities you have set.
By following these three straightforward steps, you can more readily
achieve goals because you clearly organize the process and follow
through with commitment. Focus your sights on what you want to acquire,
attain, or achieve. Prioritize the steps you need to take to get there. And
organize your tasks into manageable chunks and blocks of time. These
are the roadways to accomplishment and fulfillment.

 
In the following passage from Foundations of Academic Success:
Words of Wisdom, former political-science student Patricia Munsch
—now a college counselor—reflects on how a structured,
conscientious approach to decision-making and goal setting in
college can lead to fulfillment and achievement.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY STUDYING?

There is a tremendous amount of stress placed on college students
regarding their choice of major. Everyday, I meet with students regarding
their concern about choosing right major; the path that will lead to a
fantastic, high-paying position in a growth industry. There is a hope that
one decision, your college major, will have a huge impact on the rest of
your life.
Students shy away from subject areas they enjoy due to fear that such
coursework will not lead to a job. I am disappointed in this approach. As a
counselor I always ask—what do you enjoy studying? Based on this
answer it is generally easy to choose a major or a family of majors. I
recognize the incredible pressure to secure employment after graduation,
but forcing yourself to choose a major that you may not have any actual
interest in because a book or website mentioned the area of growth may
not lead to the happiness you predict.
Working in a college setting I have the opportunity to work with students
through all walks of life, and I do believe based on my experience, that
choosing a major because it is listed as a growth area alone is not a good
idea. Use your time in college to explore all areas of interest and utilize
your campus resources to help you make connections between your joy in
a subject matter and the potential career paths. Realize that for most
people, in most careers, the undergraduate major does not lead to a linear
career path.
As an undergraduate student I majored in Political Science, an area that I
had an interest in, but I added minors in Sociology and Women’s Studies
as my educational pursuits broadened. Today, as a counselor, I look back
on my coursework with happy memories of exploring new ideas, critically
analyzing my own assumptions, and developing an appreciation of social
and behavioral sciences. So to impart my wisdom in regards to a student’s
college major, I will always ask, what do you enjoy studying?
Once you have determined what you enjoy studying, the real work begins.
Students need to seek out academic advisement. Academic advisement
means many different things; it can include course selection, course
completion for graduation, mapping coursework to graduation, developing
opportunities within your major and mentorship.
As a student I utilized a faculty member in my department for semester
course selection, and I also went to the department chairperson to
organize two different internships to explore different career paths. In
addition, I sought mentorship from club advisors as I questioned my career
path and future goals. In my mind I had a team of people providing me
support and guidance, and as a result I had a great college experience
and an easy transition from school to work.
I recommend to all students that I meet with to create their own team. As a
counselor I can certainly be a part of their team, but I should not be the
only resource. Connect with faculty in your department or in your favorite
subject. Seek out internships as you think about the transition from college
to workplace. Find mentors through faculty, club advisors, or college staff.
We all want to see you succeed and are happy to be a part of your
journey.
As a counselor I am always shocked when students do not understand
what courses they need to take, what grade point average they need to
maintain, and what requirements they must fulfill in order to reach their
goal—graduation! Understand that as a college student it is your
responsibility to read your college catalog and meet all of the requirements
for graduation from your college. I always suggest that students, starting in
their first semester, outline or map out all of the courses they need to take
in order to graduate. Of course you may change your mind along the way,
but by setting out your plan to graduation you are forcing yourself to learn
what is required of you.
I do this exercise in my classes and it is by far the most frustrating for
students. They want to live in the now and they don’t want to worry about
next semester or next year. However, for many students that I see, the
consequence of this decision is a second semester senior year filled with
courses that the student avoided during all the previous semesters. If you
purposefully outline each semester and the coursework for each, you can
balance your schedule, understand your curriculum and feel confident that
you will reach your goal.
—Dr. Patricia Munsch, Foundations of Academic Success: Words of
Wisdom

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS

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