Backwards By Design Goal Setting In order to

“Backwards By Design” Goal Setting • In order to set goals you must plan ahead. • Just like making a Thanksgiving meal, you have to put the turkey in the oven first because it takes the longest to cook. • You put the rolls in last when there are only 20 minutes left before the turkey is ready so that the rolls and the turkey will be ready at the same time. Sept. 2007 -SS

Backwards By Design Continued • Just like the Thanksgiving meal, you can’t set your short term goals before you set your long range goals; because the long-range goals take longer to achieve. • You must know where you are going so you can plan how to get there. Sept. 2007 -SS

Backwards By Design. Long-Range Goals • You must set your long-range goals first! – What do you want to be doing when you are 25 years old? • Where do you want to live? – Do you want to live in an apartment? – Do you want to live in a house that you rent or own? • Do you want to have a family? • Do you want to own a car? • Based on the answers to these questions listed above; how will you pay for: – your place to live – your family – the things you want to provide Sept. 2007 -SS for yourself and family?

Backwards By Design Long-Range Goals • You must set your long range goals FISRT so that you know what you need to do now to get you there. – What kind of career/job will allow you to earn enough money to pay for the kind of life you want to lead? – What education do you need to complete to get that job? – What are you willing to work for? Sept. 2007 -SS

Backwards By Design – Mid-Range Goals • Once you have set your long-range goals then you set your Mid-Range goals. • Each mid-range goal should be something that will take you 4 -5 years to complete and each one will help you eventually reach your long-range goal. Sept. 2007 -SS

Backwards By Design Short-Range Goals • Once your mid-range goals are set you then set your short-range goals. • Each short-range goal should be something that helps you reach one of your mid-range goals. • In this way each short-range goal helps you reach your mid-range goals, and your mid-range goals help you reach your long-range goals. • This is why you must set your goals in the following order: – Long Range (1 st) – Mid-Range (2 nd) – Short-Range (3 rd) Sept. 2007 -SS

1) Write down your goals regularly. Check Goals every week or two and see what kind of progress you are making. Keep a log book, or a notebook with your goals 2) Make all goals specific. Goals should be exact. Give specific details: Time frame to complete your goal Locations, Dates etc… Example: I will graduate from Iowa State University with an undergraduate degree in Education, within 5 years of graduating from Valencia High School. 3) State them positively. Start them with words like “I will”, Sept. 2007 -SS NOT with words like “I hope”, “Maybe Someday”

4) Set goals in ALL important areas of life! Family Faith School Extra Curricular Personal Career 5) Put goals in time frames. Goals are meaningless and do not challenge you unless you put a time frame on the goal. If you want to go to college…you could finish when you are 65 years old, but will that help you reach your long range goals? 6) Keep score! (Find a way to keep track of or measure your goals. ) Example: If you want to get good grades in High School your freshman year, how would you measure this: You can use Aeries to keep track of your individual homework assignments. You can keep an assignment sheet to write down every assignment that is due and what grade you got on it. 7) Let your goals belong to you alone! Not your friends, not your parents, you only! Sept. 2007 -SS Don’t let anyone talk you out of your goals.

1) Long-Range (marriage, education!) (5 -10 -15 years from now what do you want) a) Academic b) Activity/Personal c) Career 2) Mid-Range (Now until you graduate) (1 Year - 4 to 5 years. ) a) Academic b) Activities c) Personal 3) Short-Range (9 th-June) (1 Week to 6 months) a) Academic b) Activities (athletics, etc. ) Sept. 2007 -SS c) Personal