Long-term Goals: Planning for Your Future
In high school, your long-term goal may have been to get accepted into college. You maintained your grades, visited college campuses, and completed your applications until finally getting your admissions letter to IUP.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals: When crafting your goals, you may use the S.M.A.R.T. goals approach to give more clarity to your vision. S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Specific – specify how you will accomplish your goal.
- Measurable – establish requirements for how your goal will be achieved and determine how you can measure your progress.
- Attainable – ensure that your goal is realistic and action-oriented.
- Relevant – ensure that your goal is addressing your needs.
- Time-bound – allow a reasonable amount of time to accomplish the goal and set a deadline; breaking up your goal into smaller tasks and deadlines can increase attainability