College To-Do List Week 8: A place to visit

The College To-Do list is here to see you through until the end of your Spring 2014 semester! It's the small things you do consistently that make the biggest difference. 

How to set goals when you don't know what you want to do with your life

The new year is always my favorite time to set goals. While I don't ascribe to the general "resolutions" trend, I do think it's a great time to re-evaluate your vision, set goals, and create a plan for the year.

That's what I do each January, and it's one of my favorite parts of the year. While I always set goals to some extent throughout my life, I didn't get serious about it until a few years ago.

And the year I got serious about it is the year my life drastically changed - I published a book, started a blog, traveled more than I ever had in my life, and was able to live my dream and work from home. 

Taking goal setting seriously can drastically change your life. But not because it's magic. And not because writing something down means it will happen. 

But when you take goal setting seriously by setting goals that motivate you, reading them every day, and turning them into actionable, daily habits, it really can help you achieve your wildest dreams. 

But what do you do when you're not sure where you want to go? What if you don't know what do to with your life yet? What if you're not exactly sure what kind of job you want in the future? What if you don't entirely know where you want to be in the next few years?

That's okay!

And I'm writing this post just for you.

Because while I've always been a super planner, there have been so many times in my life when I've felt so unsure about where I want to go next. It's not always a good experience, and can leave you feeling lost and purposeless.

The good news is that a willingness to be flexible and have an open mind is vital as your career changes and progresses. You'll want to be open to new opportunities and adventures - some you may not even be able to dream about because you don't even know they exist yet!

But you won't be ready for those things if you aren't prepared. So how do you prepare and set goals for things you're not even aware of yet?

Set growth goals. The best goals you can set any time, but especially when you are unsure about what is next in your life, are the ones that will help you learn and grow. 

"If you want to have more you have to become more. Success is not a doing process; it is a becoming process. What you do, what you pursue, will elude you - it can be like chasing butterflies. Success is something you attract by the person you become." - Jim Rohn

Consider goals like this:

*Read 10 non-fiction books on ____________ [insert topic you're interested in]
*Meet with at least 3 people who work as____________[insert professions that interest you]
*Apply for an internship doing___________[the best thing to do when you don't know what you want to do is explore, up-close-and-personal]

And of course, when you're in college, it's always helpful to set goals that motivate you get good grades. 

But just wanting A's isn't enough - be sure to set a development plan to become the kind of student who gets A's (such as scheduling daily study time, meeting with professors, and reading books about how to succeed in college.)

Remember that planning doesn't mean you won't be going on an adventure; in fact I think planning is what makes an adventurous life that much more probable. 

Note: My favorite book on how to set goals and turn them into daily action is The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. 

The one question you must be able to answer to graduate college

How to succeed in college is why I write this blog and why I wrote my book. I teach how to build the relationships that are integral to college and career success. 

And you read this blog (and my book I hope) because you want to succeed. You want to do more with your life. You want to know how.

And I applaud you for that. You're way ahead of most people, and the fact that you're even reading this sentence shows you are a pretty dedicated person. Kudos to you. 

There is a question, however, whose answer can make or break the "how to succeed" in anything, especially something as demanding as college. 

It starts with one word - why.

Why do you want to graduate college?

Before you answer, consider the following:

1. WHY do you want to graduate college: 

How to succeed in college will mean nothing if you don't have a good reason why. I firmly believe that the large number of students who drop out of community college aren't doing it because they aren't smart or capable. 

While there are many external reasons, I think the primary internal problem is that they don't have a strong enough 'why' to push them to find the resources, time, and support they need to complete. 

2. Why do YOU want to graduate college: 

Your reason should be for you. It should be deeply personal and motivating. If money motivates you, then maybe it's the salary benefits. If you're motivated by the difference you can make in the world, maybe it's a certain community you want to help. 

Maybe there's a dream job you want that requires a college degree. Or maybe you have no idea what you want to do after college but you know you want to have options to choose and not get stuck in a job you hate (that was my why). 

Going to college for anyone else or for any reason other than your own won't work, especially if you have the kind of obstacles that come with being a low-income or first generation student. 

Your personal why may seem selfish, but it's not. It's the best thing you can do for your family and your community. 

Dream big.

3. Why do you want to GRADUATE college:

Going to college is the first step, and it's a difficult one so congratulations if you've made it that far! However, sadly too many students in community college do not graduate. 

Your reason for going to college should be rooted in your reason for graduating. What is your end goal and why? Once you graduate from community college do you want to go on to get a Bachelor's, a Master's, a J.D., an M.BA., an M.D. or a Ph.D? What degrees do you want and why? 

Again, make it personal, and think about the end goal. What would walking down that aisle to receive that diploma really mean to you? 

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I got my Master's diploma in the mail in the summer of 2012, on the day my grandma Isabel died. In that moment I knew that my degree was so much more than a piece of paper. It was more than projected lifetime earnings. It was hope. And it was opportunity to do more than my grandma ever had the opportunity to do. 

Why are you in college? Why do you want to graduate college? If you don't have a reason that makes your heart beat faster and your motivation swell then schedule a meeting with a professor or mentor and start talking about it.

Slugging along through classes without a good "why" is dangerous.

But once you do have that "why," write it down and read it every morning. And if you're willing, please e-mail it to me at isa@isaadney.com with your first name and name of your college (or you can request to be anonymous) as I'd love to share some of your whys in an upcoming blog post. 

How to succeed in college requires a lot of diligence and hard work. Our brains are hardwired to give up when something is too difficult - unless the 'why' is strong enough. 

Find your why and get your degree. You deserve it. 

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

College To Do List: Week 7 - Where to sit in every class

The College To-Do list is here to see you through until the end of your Spring 2014 semester! Because it's the small things you do consistently that make the biggest difference. 

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!! Don't make resolutions, but instead, write goals. Read them every morning. And then go make 2014 amazing.