Chapter 3

Turn Dreams into Goals and Make Them Happen

Copyright 2011. Raymond Gerson

Chapter Objectives

• Learn how to set and achieve your goals• Assess your strongest types of intelligence• Identify careers that match your types of

intelligence• Learn time management strategies

Dreams and Goals

• Dreams are a good starting point for success

• Dreams will remain wishes unless you turn them into goals

• Goals provide a target for you to go after

Dreams and Goals (Cont’d)

• Goals need to be measurable and specific• According to Psychologist Robert Sternberg

“Successful Intelligence” is the ability to reach your goals

• Decide what you want and then make your actions support your goals

• Goals which you care about provide you with a purpose and motivation

• Activity 3.1 addresses dreams and goals

Small Steps to Your Goals• Kaizen is a Japanese word

that means small steps for continued improvement

• Large goals can be broken into small steps

• Small steps are easier to take – “Inch by inch anything is a cinch.”

• Activity 3.2 provides an opportunity to break one of your big goals into little steps

Make the Difficult Easy

• Big projects will get done by attending to small beginnings

• Tackle big assignments before they become difficult

• Start early, do a little every day and your assignments will be completed easily

• Activity 3.2 gives you an opportunity to try a Kaizen approach to an assignment or project

Short, Medium and Long-Range Goals

• Short goals – One year or less• Medium or mid-range goals – One to five

years• Long-range goals – Over five years• All three are important goals to set

Set Goals in Four Categories for a Balanced and Fulfilled Life

• Educational goals• Career Goals• Financial Goals• Personal Goals (includes

physical, mental, spiritual, family and social)

• Please do activities 3.4 through 3.7

More Tips on Goal Setting

• Make your goals specific, measurable and with end dates

• Write your goals down• Set goals that support your values• Set realistic, but challenging goals• Identify the benefits you will receive when you

achieve your goals• Please do Activity 3.8 and write one goal for each

major category

Take the Game Winning Shot

• The road to success is often paved with failures along the way

• Making mistakes and not being perfect are part of life

• Take shots and go for your goals in the game of life

• Activity 3.9 has questions about this topic

Time Management Helps You to Achieve Your Goals

• Managing your time well is the same as managing yourself and your life well

• Procrastination can keep you from achieving your goals

• Use a planner and calendar• Prioritize• Break tasks into small chunks• Concentrate on doing one thing at a time

Focused Attention is a Key to Success

• Concentrated attention is an ability of successful people

• List your priorities each day

• Do them in order of importance

• Activity 3.10 addresses your time wasters and solutions

Types of Intelligence

• There are many different types of intelligence• Knowing your types of intelligence allows you to use

them and play to your strengths• IQ tests only measure a couple of types of

intelligence• Intelligence is not fixed at birth, but can be increased

throughout your life• Dr. Howard Gardner has identified eight Multiple

Intelligences

• Do Activity 3.11 and rate your intelligences

Eight Multiple Intelligences

Dr. Howard Gardner discovered eight different types of intelligence.

• Verbal – Ability to use written and spoken words, to communicate and express yourself. Excellent with words

• Logical-Mathematical – Ability to detect patterns and think logically. Ability in problem solving, math and science. Excellent with numbers

Eight Multiple Intelligences (Cont’d)

• Visual-spatial – Ability to create images and understand spatial relationships. Excellent with pictures, graphs and charts

• Bodily-Kinesthetic – Ability to use the body with skill such as athletes and dancers. Excellent control of one’s body

• Interpersonal – Ability to understand other’s feelings and intentions. Good people skills. Excellent with people

Eight Multiple Intelligences (Cont’d)

• Intrapersonal – Ability to be self-aware and to understand one’s thoughts, feelings, goals and actions. Excellent self-knowledge

• Musical – Ability to understand and create musical sounds and recognize musical patterns. Excellent with music, sound and rhythm

• Naturalistic – Attraction to and understanding of nature and the environment. Attuned to nature

Examples of Careers and Multiple Intelligences

Linguistic Teachers, writers and lawyers

Logical-Mathematical Scientists, engineers and computer programmers

Visual-Spatial Artists, architects and inventors

Bodily-Kinesthetic Dancers, athletes and firefighters

Interpersonal Counselors, salespersons and nurses

Intrapersonal Writers, psychologists and inventors

Musical Singers, composers and musicians

Naturalistic Environmental scientists, gardeners and geologists

Please do Activity 3.12 Name three more careers for each one

Summary of Main Points

• Dreams can become goals when you add a plan and deadline

• Goals provide you with motivation, direction and purpose

• By breaking your goals into small steps you make the difficult easy

• Knowing your types of intelligence can help you play to your strengths and excel in your career