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READING
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XPERIENCE
12: U
SING
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AILURE
AS
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TEPPING
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TONE
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UCCESS
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EARNING
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EARN
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ECOMING
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ELF
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ROWER
Step 4—State Clear Outcomes
The Personal Development Methodology helps processes and behaviors lead to positive outcomes. To
be meaningful, outcomes must be clear, measurable, realistic, and relevant to your intent and priorities.
Goals and objectives channel your efforts into actions and activities that will get you to where you
want to be in the future.
Sandra wants to have ten more hours a week to study. She and her sister Alicia make a
schedule. Ty also looks at changing his work schedule a bit. They are also exploring campus
daycare possibilities as well as arrangements with other relatives.
Step 5—Develop a Plan
Develop a comprehensive action plan. As part of the plan, include activities that will help you achieve
your stated objectives. Identify and list the people and resources you think can assist and facilitate your
growth. Also, consider potential negative or blocking forces, which could impede your progress, and
how you might deal with each of them. Include a time schedule. Take into account the availability and
cost of resources.
Sandra has made a new schedule for school, homework, baby-sitting, and social time. Alicia
and Ty also have a list of people who could watch their daughter on an emergency basis.
Step 6—Perform to the Plan as Set
To achieve the goals of your plan, you need to set a timeline and monitor your results on a regular
basis. This will require you to be responsible and complete the tasks you have set for yourself without
procrastinating. Procrastination is a common problem for students and non-students alike when a plan
or project seems too large and daunting. This problem can be addressed by shortening the timeline
and breaking the process into smaller steps. General Creighton Abrams offered excellent advice for
tackling a large project: “When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.” An instructor or a mentor
can also help you keep your plan on track. Experience 13 will speak directly to the issue of selecting
and using a mentor.
Sandra has been on her new schedule for two weeks now, and so far, she is getting a lot
done. She talked with her veterans counselor before she spoke with Ty and Alicia; he helped
her clarify her values and her concerns. Her counselor asked Sandra to let him know how the
conversation with her sister and brother-in-law went and how her new schedule is going.
Step 7—Assess Performance
You have a plan, and you are taking action. To determine how well you are doing, stop at intervals
and assess your progress. One way to do this is to apply the SII Method of Assessment (Strengths,
Improvements, and Insights).
If appropriate to the situation, and agreed upon prior to the start of the performance, your mentor may
offer “ real-time” feedback to you during your performance, such as a basketball coach does during a
game. Instructors give constant feedback by means of grades, comments, and personal conferences.
Asking an instructor or other mentor to give you specific feedback on a variety of tasks simply clarifies