Returning to school to complete my degree will most likely prove to be one of the most important decisions of my life. Strangely though, I find it very difficult to quantify or support this statement. In general, there are expectations of a successful career, financial security, peace of mind, and personal satisfaction - all related to attaining my degree. Experience has shown me that without clearly defined goals, both long and short term, chances for success in any endeavor decrease dramatically. Therefore, in this paper I will attempt to define and clarify my personal goals relating to the successful completion of my degree at the University of Phoenix.
I find it much easier to define my personal goals if I think of them in the context of Project Management, my current profession. One of the most important steps in the initial planning of any project is to define clear and concise goals. Without goals there can be no measurement of success or failure. Ironically, this is often the most difficult and therefore most overlooked step in the process. At its simplest level the process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose intelligently between many available options. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on and improve, and what is merely a distraction. Psychologically, goal setting gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge and helps you to organize and focus your resources. By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, allowing you to see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. .
My first and most immediate goal is to earn my Bachelor's degree. There are several reasons for this goal such as: staying competitive in the marketplace, the self-satisfaction and peace of mind that comes with finishing something I've started, earning the respect of my peers, and simply becoming more proficient, knowledgeable and well rounded.
