Understanding Short Term Goals

UNDERSTANDING SHORT TERM GOALS A. Understanding Short Term Goals Having goals in your career, both short term and long term goals, is something that can keep you growing. According to studies from the American Psychological Association, someone who doesn't give up easily and has a positive view of their goals will easily avoid stress, depression and anxiety. Short term goals are a form of goal that gives you clear career goals and control over your life. You can improve and develop little by little, so the pressure won't be as heavy. Short-term goals are career and life goals that you want to achieve in a short period of time. For example, what do you want to achieve today, next week, or even achievements for one year. Quoting BetterUp, short term goals range from daily goals, to to-do lists, but can also be milestones or stepping stones for long term goals. A simple example is, your long term goal is to become a graphic designer. So, to achieve this, your short term goals are: • get good grades in university or major tests • attend lectures with good results • have a bachelor's degree in design • looking for graphic designer jobs B. Benefits of Short Term Goals Having short term goals will keep you motivated and progress further. Here are some of the benefits you can get from short term goals: 1) Achievable Usually these short-term goals are easier to achieve and are realistic so they have narrower deadlines. 2) Create momentum Apart from having a narrower deadline, short term goals can be achieved quickly and with a strong intention to achieve the goal. This is useful for motivating you. 3) Stay on track or according to plan As Glints mentioned above, short term goals are useful in achieving bigger ambitions. So, good planning will keep you on track/target and closer to your big goal. 4) Increase self-confidence Apart from motivating yourself, with short term goals, you also increase your self-confidence, because you have taken small steps towards your big goal. 5) Don't procrastinate Delaying steps to progress and work will keep you far from your desired goals. However, with short term goals and deadlines, you don't have time to delay because you are 'forced' to move forward. C. Benefits of Short Term Goals for Career Here are some of the benefits of short term goals for your career: a. Helps determine team goals The list of goals a team wants to achieve can be in the form of short term goals. This will make everyone on the team have the same goal and mindset. b. Productivity You can use short term goals to improve workflow while improving work results. That way, you can be a role model for juniors and workers who are trusted by your superiors c. Improved capabilities Learning new skills certainly takes a long time. By having short term goals, you can learn new skills that are useful for yourself and other team members. d. Makes it easier to find work When you have short term goals, you have determined clear goals and steps to be taken. Especially for career and work, of course you don't want to make the wrong choice. When you have a goal, your job search will be easier. D. Tips for Making Short Term Goals a. Visualize the end goal The first stage, make sure you know the final picture of the short-term goals you have created. Usually short term goals will depend on bigger goals. This will also help create a more realistic plan. b. Take it slow When creating short term goals, the thing that should not be forgotten is to make sure you do it step by step or slowly. This is because the point of short term goals themselves are small achievements that get you closer to the big goal. c. Use the SMART method You can use the SMART method to create the short term goals you want. This SMART method consists of: • specific • measurable or can be measured • attainable or achievable • relevant • time-bound or using a reasonable time frame d. Distinguish between process and results When creating short term goals, you must be able to adjust the parameters. Short-term goals are part of the process of achieving larger goals. If the parameters are wrong, it will make you feel that you are still far from your bigger goal. e. Take small steps When starting any plan, always remember to start with small steps. This will minimize the impact or risk and make you more careful and pay attention to details. f. Review progress Frequently review the progress you have made. This will help you plan your short term goals better and also help motivate you. g. Give rewards Giving yourself rewards when you can achieve one or two short term goals is a good thing to keep yourself motivated.