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https://github.com/athanclark/goals

Personal goals document
https://github.com/athanclark/goals

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Personal goals document

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README 

          
Summary

=======



Having a clear image for what you want is

important; otherwise, we'd never actually get what we want, because we

don't know what we're chasing. Likewise, it's very easy to get distracted

from the image you've envisioned, because

holding yourself accountable for taking the right steps is hard -

as a result, we find ourselves sidetracked with meaningless nonsense,

when we really wanted to spend our years doing something

productive.



This document aims to help me figure out exactly what I want:



- who I want to be

- where I want to be

- and how I'm going to get there



There are many

considerations - physical possessions (i.e., finances, vehicle,

etc.), character traits, relationships, and even _motivations_.

Changing your behavior and character is not easy, but where there's a

will, there's a way, and I don't want to see myself missing out on more

opportunities - it would be a shame to let them go to waste.



GySgt Joiner advised MAEMC 1-20 to **take** the opportunity to direct ourselves, and

that's some of the wisest advice I think I've heard. He is a very

realistic and intelligent man, and I hope to have soaked up some of his

appreciation for the time and resources we have available.



"What type of Marine do you want to be?\"

---------------



Those words rang loudly, and he asked some other very important questions.

The following were mentioned, and in this paper I'd like to add

more structure and rigor to their values:



-   List your goals for your USMC tenure



-   What type of Marine do you want to be?



-   Control your impression



-   SMART goals - short term and long term



-   Define your path to better yourself



-   What kind of Corps do you want to serve?



-   What do you want to accomplish?



-   Put down the dream-killers - what are they?



-   A marathon is a product of individual steps



-   Be as productive as possible - get immersed in your job *first*



-   If you waste your potential, you let **yourself** down



-   What have you already done to get to your goals?



-   What will you sacrifice? And what is practical?



-   How can you work with others to help you get to your goals?



-   How will you manage your time requirements?



-   What are good starter goals, to get familiar with the process?



-   How will you pace yourself and not sacrifice the wrong things?



-   Earn your reputation



-   Pay your dues



-   What books could you read to improve this process?



-   What books should you read regardless?



-   You either have "it", or you don't. Set the expectation that others

    should strive to have



-   What long term goals have value that's difficult to measure?



-   How will you revise your goals regularly?



-   Your decisions **are** your dues



-   Accomplish what you're told



-   Ask for permission and sympathy when appropriate



-   You do not need your hand held



-   Take an English 1 & 2 course (eventually)



-   Planning is *key*



The value of the statements above will be exercised below. If

uninterested, please skip to the next chapter.



### List your goals for your USMC tenure



This is very important. Most people think of being a Marine as just a

"job\" - often, I reflect on how my NCOs would remark as "Being a

Marine is the easiest job you'll ever have! All you have to do is show

up on time, shave your face, get a haircut, and do as your told!\",

while grilling us on some negligence or another.



Being a Marine is more than just a job; it's a *tenure* -

if you don't do something stupid, or get hurt, then it's a job that

lasts *at least* four years. I don't know about you, but that's the

longest job I've ever had. A lot can be done in that amount of time, and

it's important to think about how things will change; what

trends are stronger than others. However, if you are influential enough,

you can guide that trend different directions. At any rate, there

is a lot that can be accomplished in four years.



### What type of Marine do you want to be?



This is also a tricky question, because there's so many stereotypes we

learn about as junior Marines; the shitbags, the unicorns, "water

walkers\", hardasses, badasses, salty bastards, etc.



When you get caught on a good day, what impression do you want to leave?

What about a bad day? What about an average day? What about during a

firefight? What about at the gym, or during PT? what about when you've

been caught with your pants down?



### Control your Impression



This deals with a separate paper's topic as well, but controlling your

impression is important - staying tight with your chain of command;

knowing what risks they take entrusting you with certain tasks, and

knowing what they _care about_ is very important. Furthermore, being

overly prepared in case you're put on a promotion board (or, God

forbid, a court) can be very useful - having a jacket of

impressionable material.



### SMART Goals; Short Term and Long Term



Some of this will be taken from [this

website](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/smart-goal/).



Goals are part of every aspect of business/life and provide a sense of

direction, motivation, a clear focus, and clarify importance. By setting

goals for yourself, you are providing yourself with a target to aim for.

A SMART goal is used to help guide goal setting. SMART is an acronym

that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.

Therefore, a SMART goal incorporates all of these criteria to help focus

your efforts and increase the chances of achieving that goal.



SMART goals are:



-   Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous



-   Measurable: With specific criteria that measure your progress

    towards the accomplishment of the goal



-   Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve



-   Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life

    purpose



-   Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date

    and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.



Having time-indexed, proactive goals will be crucial to rapid

accomplishment.



### Define your path to better yourself



This is an overarching statement about the importance of goal setting -

in my dad's loving words, "you are the master of your disaster\",

and "you're clear for takeoff, it's your life\".



Following other people's footsteps, while it does have it's values, can

misguide you, or make you lose sight of your own initiatives. Setting a

rubric for your life plan will help you abide to your own expectations.



### What kind of Corps do you want to serve?



It's a hard question to answer as a junior Marine, but still very

important - what behavior will you enable? What is permissible, and

what isn't? What do you want to support, and what policies will you rally

behind? Will you be outspoken about your opinions?



### What do you want to accomplish?



At the end of the day, years from now, I'll want to feel proud of

myself. What will I want to be proud of? What will I want other people

to be proud of? What will give me what I need? And what will get me

further to long term goals? What do I want to be known for?



### Put down the dream-killers - what are they?



This is a hard one to address, because it's closely related to

enjoyment & peace-of-mind. Everyone needs to relax sometimes - take your mind

off what troubles you. But in reality, maybe there might be a

way to _have fun_ while being productive. Some things might actually help

though, like a useful distraction, or a change of pace that gives you

a different perspective, and keeps your mind versatile.



### A marathon is a product of individual steps



And each step should be _measured_ - well, maybe not every step, but

knowing where the next one should be is damn important, else you might

trip!



### Be as productive as possible - get immersed in your job *first*



This is a hard one, especially as a new join.

However it's extremely important; I'll need to be more

productive, sharper, and trustworthy if I want to get promoted.



### If you waste your potential, you let **yourself** down



This breaks my heart, because I know it's true, about my lackadaisical

wasting of my own time. I have been driven for a long time now,

however, so I shouldn't feel so guilty. But, maybe it's the lasting

effects of being reckless, too.



It's very important to stay true to yourself; the self that regrets decisions,

and can give wise advice to a

youngster about both their mistakes, as well as pride.



### What have you already done to get to your goals?



Don't short-sell yourself, you've lived a long life so far. It's

important to know what you've already done, too, so you can better

estimate how productive you can actually be when you really get to work.

Also, feathers in your cap aren't a bad thing, either.



### What will you sacrifice? And what is practical?



Sacrifice is the reality of exchanging time and energy, and what we

actually want. I would like to be the kind of person that can rationally

make a decision between two tough options.



### How can you work with others to help you get to your goals?



I don't mean this as "getting others to do your work", but I'm also not

saying everything has to be done alone. Maybe there's other individuals

with goals that coincide with yours, and you could symbiotically benefit

from each other.



How can you get your chain of command

involved with your goals? Not _intimately_, but just aware enough about

something they _approve_ of, so you're not as pressured.



### How will you manage your time requirements?



Schedules are very useful, but sometimes issues (like field ops) come

out of nowhere and put a stick in the spokes. Being

agile and aware of how to change your footing will be important to

staying productive in a changing environment.



### What are good starter goals, to get familiar with the process?



Low hanging fruit are important to harvest; it can improve morale and

give a better sense of judgment for other goals' which may be more

difficult to attain. However, when starting a new routine, it will be

important to *go slow*.



### How will you pace yourself and not sacrifice the wrong things?



Ask for advice, or if you're not comfortable with that, ease your way

into the change of process that you'll face when going head-on.



### Earn your reputation



You will not work alone, and you are not "safe\" from the same issues

everyone else will face. It's important to make a robust image of

yourself; that you can handle whatever comes your way, because you meet

(and ideally exceed) your expectations.



### Pay your dues



There will be a lot of work ahead of you, and as a new join, you are in

a debt; paying back that debt is your first priority.



### What books could you read to improve this process?



Are there any good self-help books that would give you valuable

perspective? Like "How to Win Friends and Influence People\"?



### What books should you read regardless?



The Commandant's reading list is out there, and we are tasked with

reading 3 per year, and writing reports on them.



### You either have "it\", or you don't. Set the expectation that others should strive to have



Go-getters are what make the world turn. It's a constant grind,

and easy to let go. You should make an image for those who need us, that

sets us apart from everyone else.



### What long term goals have value that's difficult to measure?



For instance, after 10 years in the USMC, your GI bill can go to your

dependents. As someone without dependents, that's a very interesting

proposition, but I don't really know what I would be missing.



### How will you revise your goals regularly?



Set a weekly, monthly, quarterly schedule for revising your schedule,

and goal iteration.



### Your decisions **are** your dues



A man is as valuable as his word, especially if he involves other people

in making those opportunities available.



### Accomplish what you're told



And maintain communication for what isn't up-to-par. Surprises aren't

very nice for someone who manages expectations.



### Ask for permission and sympathy when appropriate



When growing, you'll need some help getting to where you should be. Don't be afraid to

be humble, ask for advice, and reach out to the _right_ people.



### You do not need your hand held



Do everything that *can* be done independently, without overstepping

your boundaries. Preparation and planning are the keys to success.



### Take an English 1 & 2 course (eventually)



This will help you maintain effective and impressive communication with

important people.



### Planning is *key*



This is what will set you apart from everyone else who will waste their

time. Making a plan, and sticking to that plan, will

help you grow as a person, and as a Marine.



[Next Page](introduction.md)