As an instructor, instructional designer, coach, consultant, etc. you may hear about setting effective goals. While we normally do this in the context of our learners, are we doing this for ourselves? While some individuals may be highly motivated to complete tasks on their own, others may need additional support or incentives to set and meet their own personal goals.
I think we have all heard about setting goals that are SMART:
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Attainable
R: Relevant
T: Time-bound
In keeping with this acronym, I wanted to share with you one of my goals to complete before the end of February. One of my own professional development activities is to stay current on trends and experiences in instructional design. The eLearning Industry has been instrumental in helping me stay connected with the field. While I have been blogging my way through the year (as well as with my own experiences as a new instructional designer) I want to expand my skill-set by writing an article for the community.
While the topic of my article has not yet been decided, I have used the SMART qualities of goal setting in helping me reach my ultimate goal of having one of my articles shared with the eLearning community. I need to be specific and relevant with my target audience and topic choice. In keeping with the time-bound aspect, I set my goal of the end of February to have this submitted (I am unsure of the turn-around date of acceptance).
I feel this goal is measurable for me as the eLearning Industry has specific guidelines as to what will be accepted and what will not. Knowing these beforehand allows me to know that this is something that is attainable - not out of reach. While I realize that getting the article accepted would be amazing - for my initial try I am setting the goal at submitting an article for the community.
What are your goals? How do you stay on track? Do you use the SMART method or does something else work best for you? I'd love to hear your feedback!