"Walden students... often share a common sentiment: as they embark on this new chapter, they are excited to take a major step towards achieving their goals. And yet, they are often nagged by lingering doubts and anxieties, wondering if they waited too long to get their degrees..."
"In one of my favorite essays about writing, author Anne Lamott (2005) argues that “all good writing starts with terrible first efforts” (para. 10)."
"Though I greatly enjoy my classes, life can always get hectic and present challenges. Anyone can get discouraged sometimes, and that’s when it’s crucial to remember why getting a degree is truly important to us. "
"When I began my program at Walden, I remember thinking “I don’t belong here” because my peers all had more experience than I did or had already completed additional academic programs. I felt very out of place."
"One of the fascinating topics for me has always been understanding those who are able to push themselves to go above and beyond to reach higher and higher goals. What gets them there and what keeps them going?"
As a student, holding yourself to a high standard often translates into higher goal attainment and better grades. But when the inability to meet an unrealistically high standard results in physical and emotional strain, perfectionism may be to blame. Overcoming Perfectionism
Developing SMART Goals
SMART is an acronym to help with realistic goal-setting. Use it as a tool to develop goals for yourself—they could be goals for your career, your studies at Walden, or even your personal life. This resource includes the SMART goal criteria, example goals, and a template for you to develop your own academic, professional, and personal SMART goals.
SMART Goal Criteria (PDF) SMART Goal Template (PDF) SMART Goal Template (Word)
More SMART Goal Resources:
"The world we live in today is very goal oriented. Goals are often a measurement we use to determine success. While goals can be great, as they can give us focus on tasks that need to be completed, they can also be detrimental if not done appropriately."
Reset, Refresh, Renew
Building Your Self-Efficacy
Tips to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Your instructors at Walden are leaders in their field. In the future, you probably won’t have such direct access to expert scholar-practitioners. Soak up their knowledge and experience while you can.
OASIS