Goals are important because they help you achieve what you want to achieve. Writing something down on paper, you just kind of look at it and you’re like; okay well this is what I want to do. I need to do A, B, and C to get here and … personally when I write something down, it kind of sets it down for me, like okay I really need to get this done and day to day goals like things I need to get done during the day, I’ll make a list of it, cross it off as I do it, and it kind of makes you feel more accomplished as the day goes on — like okay, I got up, I did this and this and this and this, and I only have this left to do. So just kind of helps you move along.
I have a chart that I hid in my closet because one of my friends saw the chart and they were like, what in the world is that? So I put it in my closet. Every time I open my door I’m able to see a list of my goals in the middle, then on one side I have scholarships that I want to apply for, the other side tests, maybe things I need to buy, so it’s a whole chart of just different goals; and I put the dates on there of when I want to achieve them — and I have my short term goals, my long term goals, all in different colored markers. So it helps keep me on track, especially it’s where all my clothes are so I have to see it every day.
In high school I actually had a gigantic list of long term goals, not too many short term goals. I wasn’t very good at planning short term. I always had so many things to do; I was constantly running around, driving everywhere, trying to get to places. I had a lot of long term goals. Some of the goals I set were getting into college, that was a huge goal — getting scholarships. My senior year of high school I applied to over 100 scholarships just because my family couldn’t afford college and that was the only way I could go, so that was a huge goal and I constantly was applying for scholarships.
When I don’t meet one of my goals, sometimes I do feel a little bad. I try to think of if I really tried to achieve the goal, if I did all that I can, I can always improve on it, maybe extend the goal a little bit longer, see why I didn’t reach the goal, see if I can take any other steps, see if I need help. I consider all of that into it, and then it won’t make me feel bad as much anymore.
I think I’ve learned that you have to be flexible. I remember when I was younger, like around 9 or 10 I guess everybody does this, but my goal was to be a veterinarian and I actually got really disappointed when I got to high school and learned about my disability and how difficult it was with math. But when I learned that I could concentrate more in English and had fun with English in writing and reading, it opened new doors so then I changed my goal, and I was more flexible and I think when you set goals you don’t want to be so rigid that you maybe miss something else that’s fun — an opportunity to explore the world around you. I don’t think you should tie yourself down to your goal in a way that you miss something else.