It is important to set a few short-term goals when you begin. Long-term goals such as "I would like to be a doctor" are inspiring but vague and cannot be acted upon each day. An excellent short-term goal for a college student would be "Each week, I will spend at least five hours studying." This goal can be easily met each week and over time will help you reach your long-term goals. Short-term goals should be obtainable and manageable.
Your long-term goal can refer to where you end up once college is completed, but you should also have a few long-term goals on a shorter timeframe. As an example, think about where you would like your GPA to be at the end of this year. That is a relatively long-term goal. Setting a GPA goal for each year and a total GPA for graduation would be long-term goals for your college career.
There will always be times when things seem frustrating and difficult. These experiences will certainly not be limited to the time you spend at college. Maintain a positive attitude and focus on your goals when things get tough. If you can approach difficult situations with an eye on your goals and a positive attitude, you will be teaching yourself a valuable habit for the rest of your career. Problem solving and meeting goals in the face of adversity are key skills in the real world.
In order to reinforce your goals as you progress through school, conduct weekly assessments of whether you are meeting your short-term goals and how it is affecting the long-term goals. For instance, if you set a short-term goal of studying five hours per week, review your study time at the end of the month to ensure you hit the 20-hour mark. Keeping track of whether you hit your goals is critical in using goals as a strategy for success.