Setting yourself up for success

A new year represents a new start, a clean slate, a chance to begin again.

At the beginning of a new year we excitedly set goals in the form of new year’s resolutions – you know, lose weight, get better marks, get rich and the like. Come mid-February we’ve abandoned our goals, as quickly as we thought them out. Researchers have investigated the “why” behind why new year goals are quickly forgotten, and their studies have shown that we don’t ever accomplish our goals because:

we don’t write them down; and
we’re not clear enough about them.

To have a shot at accomplishing your goals, don’t just jot them down shorthand, but instead make them SMART! Yes, SMART! Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Specific

A goal has to be meaningful, succinct and unambiguous. E.g. “At the end of the year I want to be the best performing accounting student in the first-year accounting class.”

Measurable

How will you know if you’ve achieved your goal or not? Have specific criteria that measure your progress towards the accomplishment of the goal. For example, “I will get an average of 70% for all my tests and tutorials, and 85% in all my term assignments.”

Achievable

Your goal should be attainable and not impossible to achieve. Break your goal into small specific steps to help you achieve this, like study a chapter every day.

Realistic

Your goal should be within reach, realistic and relevant to your life purpose. Sure, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro could be a long-term goal, but may not be relevant to you right now.

Timely

To create a sense of urgency, have a timeline that includes a starting date and a target date. For example, “I will be top student in the Accounting faculty at the end of the year.”

Good luck with your studies! We wish you all the best for the year. Go set those goals and achieve success.