Personal Goals - Essay Example

Personal Goals Life is a long journey that requires not only a person’s dedication and determination but also it requires one to have a plan and strategy. Many people do work very hard in life and spend a lot of energy without success because they fail to plan for their life in a more appropriate manner. When a traveller embarks on a major journey, he/she has to know where he/she is headed to (destination) and have a proper plan or strategy on how to get to the destination. This also applies to peoples life in all that they want to do or to be in the near future or the distant future where one is required to have personal goals and properly plan for their achievement. Personal goals help a person identify what they want in life and help them to have a long-term vision for their future as well as short-term motivation. This paper will explore personal goals with an emphasis on educational and professional goals on both the long term and short-term perspectives. Primarily, the paper will look in to what personal goals are and how they are set and then look into their achievement and requirements for the achievement. A personal goal is a desired result that a person envisions to attain or achieve in a given timeframe that is associated to some sort of development according to that person (Gleeson, 2003). There are short term and long-term goals depending on the time frame3 within which the person has set to achieve that particular goal. The time for achieving a short-term goal is usually relative to the expected or anticipated time for achievement of a long-term goal. The time for a short-term goal may therefore be days, weeks, months or even years. The long-term goal is the goal that is set to be achieved in a longer duration of time relative to the short time goal. Setting personal goals is very important as it helps people know what they really want in life and where they are going and helps them to plan adequately. Personal goals have been seen to work very well with top achievers and even successful business people (L & Blerkom, 2011). Goals should be attainable and realistic, they should also be measurable and time bound if they really have to be relevant and useful to the individual who sets them. Setting of goals helps people organise their time and resources in a more streamlined manner that they can get the best out of their lives. When one sets sharp and well-defined goals, one can actually measure the rate of their success and achievement and even take pride in what they have achieved or the progress they have already made over a duration of time (Padoa-Schioppa, 2006). This helps people discover their ability, potential and competence and motivates them to achieve more as well as raising their confidence and self-esteem. My short-term professional goal is to attain a Bachelors degree in nursing while my long-term professional goal is to work as a supervisor/charge Nurse in a hospital. I am currently a registered Nurse working in an intensive care unit and I really love and enjoy what I do. My short-term goal is to further my education in Nursing up to the degree level which will be the major underpinnings for my long-term professional goal. I have set myself targets of high performance that I want to achieve in my course work both in the theory and in the practical part of it. It is not very easy to achieve the set target but with good time management and determination, it is very much attainable. I have developed a personal goal statement for my education and I review it every day to ensure that I do not deviate from my goal and lose sight of the real thing. My long-term goal in my profession is to be an in charge Nurse in a hospital that calls for sharp concentration on efforts to develop my abilities especially in leadership and management skills. For me to attain my long-term goal in my carrier I must not only demonstrate ability and competence in the profession but I must also exude confidence in good communication and leadership skills. In addition, I must have attained the required standards of education not only in nursing, but also in leadership and management. Furthermore, this is a leadership goal whereby teamwork is very essential. I do believe that leaders are made and not born and I am training myself how to be a good leader and a team player. The goals that an individual sets should be realistic and concordant with the person’s plans from setting up the goal to the attainment of the goal (Burgess, Pugh, & Sevigny, 2006). The attainment of an individual’s long-term goals is thought to change the subjective well being of the individual in a way that not only magnifies the confidence and esteem of the individual but also raises their socioeconomic well-being. My short-term personal goal is to obtain another home for rent, which will be an investment to boost on my earning in my current profession. This is also very important as it is also basic or preliminary to my long-term goal which is to have a well-loaded retirement and savings account by the time that I retire from my profession. This will be very important and great if achieved as it will not only help my family and me during old age, but it will also be a base for the future of my family. In summary, it is very important that every person to have personal goals as they help individuals know what they want in life and imparts long term vision and short term motivation. Setting of goals helps individuals concentrate their efforts in a manner that creates a synergistic effect in their life and keeps them on course. A personal goal is a desired result that a person envisions to attain or achieve in a given duration of time, which is often associated to some sort of development according to that person and the plans and visions that he holds. Setting of personal goals also helps people track and even appreciate their efforts and achievements in a way that creates motivation and encouragement. Individuals should be time conscious in working for the achievement of their goals as they are time bound. Individuals should create a personal goals statement that will help them understand the goal and its significance. The goals should also be reviewed every day to ensure that the individual stays on course and does not lose sight of the vision. References Burgess, T., Pugh, K. A., & Sevigny, L. (2006). The Personal Vision Workbook. Boston: Cengage Learning. Gleeson, K. (2003). The Personal Efficiency Program: How to Get Organized to Do More Work in Less Time. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. L, D., & Blerkom, V. (2011). College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner: Becoming a Strategic Learne. Boston: Cengage Learning. Padoa-Schioppa, C. &. (2006). Turning free fantasies about the future into binding goals. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 736-753. Read More