SMART Goals ( I know I'm SMART)...LOL

Goals

I was reading one of my many favorite blogs here and I read a goal about SMART Goals.

I know about SMART Goals. I remember one of my classes in my MBA was practically focused around SMART Goals. The whole time I’ve been studying for this test I always say “ I just want to pass, I just want to be a CPA, I just want to get a raise, I just want to get a new job, I just want to be able to start a business and help others” but I never really set a date. Like an actual deadline. The rate I’m going with my statements above could lead me into definitely passing but who knows when?? Just imagine, what if everyone who went to college and said I just want a degree, but they didn't set a goal. That would mean I could take 6 credits a semester and take ....ummmm..... about 10 years to get a Bachelors (insane right!!) Well that's how I feel coming to the realization that I really didn't set a date.

So today I’m setting my SMART goals

Specific- I WILL Pass the CPA. It is important because it will allow me to be a better provider. I also would like to use my designation to educate those less fortunate and also to give back to my community. I would also like a significant pay increase. With the latter being the least important currently.

Measurable- I will measure my progress by practice tests. I will also create blank outlines and fill them in with information related to each topic. I will compare that to the book and gauge my results. I will also take atleast one practice test consisting of 30 questions from the sections that I’ve reviewed so far on Sunday’s. I will utilize my Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree.com and my Wiley text book for questions

Attainable- I will obtain this goal by studying a minimum of 3 hrs a night and a minimum of 4 weeknights. I will allow myself one night off a week (thats only if I've done reasonably well during the week) My real goal is 4hrs a night however I will be realistic and not lie to myself. I will answer atleast 25 questions a day (25-30 questions is being pretty lazy but I want to keep goals realistic) ( That’s 750 questions/ month. If I take 8 weeks per exam that’s 1500 question!!). If for some reason I can not study 3hrs a night I will have to make it up the next day. I will either have to add that on to my study time during my night time studying or forgo going to the gym during lunch or if I don’t go to the gym I will go to the cafeteria and study forgoing my time out with co-workers. I will make flash cards for my weak areas and I will make double flash cards for areas that I’m very weak in (i.e. I will write the same flash card more than once and mix it in so that when I’m reviewing there is more repititon). I will keep a log of all of the questions that I missed.

Realistic- I will study a minimum of 25 hrs a week. I can obtain this if I do 3 hrs a day during the week and 13 hrs during the weekend. On the weekend I can do 4 hrs in the early morning and the remainder spread out during the day. I will allow myself to 45 mins of surfing the internet and tweeting when I get home but that’s it!! If I can do it at work that’s better that will give me more time to study at home ( I know I shouldn’t do it at work but oh well I’m being realistic…LOL) My other free time during the weekday is geared towards studying. On the weekends I will surf the internet for no more than 2 hrs/day (if that). That time is allotted to blogging, tweeting, or whatever else I want to do. Everything else is devoted to studying.

Time- CPA by 4-13-2011 (My Bday). It has to be by this day because I don’t want to have another non traveling nonexciting uneventful boring poor or penniless summer or spring!!! I cannot afford to pay for NTS’s every month!!

Reg 11/29/2010 – Retake

Studying Begins on 10/31

Goal of 100 hrs

24 hrs of video (Roger Lecture)

76-80 hrs of reviewing and answering questions

Study Plan is to be done with videos by 11-18. That leaves me 11 days to review for REG. This give me sufficient time to do atleast 1 practice test (which I plan to take on 11/22 or 11/23 this will leave me enough time to pick my face up off the floor if I do poorly or not to my liking on the test) and MQ’s alteast twice. I will have two weeks off from work from 11-15 thru 11-30. This leaves me with ample time to study. I will take no longer than three days to do MQ’s for each section. I will take two full days to practice sims. I will complete atleast two sims from each section.