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Digital careers - Beginner

Goal Setting: Design Your Personal Development Plan

Turn wishes into clear goals, weekly actions and habits, track your progress, handle setbacks, and finish with a…

About this course

Many young people have big dreams: a scholarship, a better job, a business, a laptop, a stable income. Fewer have a clear plan to reach them. This course shows you how to design that plan step by step, using paper, a phone and a simple spreadsheet, with no money needed. It is written for students, graduates, job seekers, small business owners and anyone who wants to grow on purpose.

You will begin by understanding why goals work and how to turn a vague vision into goals across the main areas of life. You will learn SMART goals and their limits, short, medium and long-term goals, and how to break a goal into milestones and weekly actions. You will practise choosing what to say no to, building habits instead of relying on willpower, and tracking progress honestly.

The later modules cover accountability partners, mentors, obstacles, setbacks and if-then planning, working with limited money, data and time, building a learning plan from free resources, reviewing and adjusting each month and quarter, and celebrating progress. You finish by writing a one-page Personal Development Plan and a 90-day action plan. Every lesson has worked examples and a practical task.

What you will learn

  • Explain why written goals work and turn a vague vision into goals in each area of life
  • Write SMART goals and know when they need to be adjusted or supported by direction-based thinking
  • Separate short, medium and long-term goals and break any goal into milestones and weekly actions
  • Prioritise ruthlessly and say no to things that pull you away from your goals
  • Build habits and simple systems that work even when motivation is low
  • Track progress on paper, on a phone or in a simple spreadsheet
  • Use accountability partners and mentors, and plan for obstacles with if-then rules and a plan B
  • Plan realistically around limited money, data and time, and build a learning roadmap from free resources
  • Review monthly and quarterly, celebrate progress, and write a one-page Personal Development Plan and a 90-day action plan

Course content

6 modules · 19 lessons · 5 h 45 min · 7 quizzes

Module 1: Why goals work and where they start3 lessons

Understand why written goals change results, find your vision across the areas of life, and turn it into first goals.

  1. Why goals work 15 min
  2. From vision to goals: the areas of your life 20 min
  3. Short, medium and long-term goals 15 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 2: Writing goals that work3 lessons

Use SMART goals and their limits, think in objectives and key results, and break each goal into milestones and weekly actions.

  1. SMART goals and their limits 20 min
  2. Objectives and key results in plain words 15 min
  3. Milestones and weekly actions 20 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 3: Priorities, habits and systems3 lessons

Choose what matters most, say no to the rest, and build habits and systems that keep you moving even when motivation falls.

  1. Prioritising and saying no 15 min
  2. Habits and systems versus willpower 20 min
  3. Tracking your progress 15 min
  4. Quiz: 8 questions
Module 4: People, obstacles and plan B3 lessons

Use accountability partners and mentors, expect obstacles, and plan for setbacks with if-then rules and a backup route.

  1. Accountability partners and mentors 15 min
  2. Obstacles, setbacks and if-then planning 20 min
  3. Learning from failure and staying motivated 15 min
  4. Quiz: 7 questions
Module 5: Making plans work with limited resources3 lessons

Plan realistically around limited money, data and time, and build a skills roadmap from free resources.

  1. Managing limited money, data and time 20 min
  2. Learning plans and skills roadmaps 20 min
  3. Building a money and career roadmap 20 min
  4. Quiz: 8 questions
Module 6: Reviewing, celebrating and your plan4 lessons

Review monthly and quarterly, celebrate and adjust, then write your one-page Personal Development Plan and 90-day action plan.

  1. Monthly and quarterly reviews 15 min
  2. Celebrating progress and adjusting goals 15 min
  3. Writing your one-page Personal Development Plan 25 min
  4. Your 90-day action plan 25 min
  5. Quiz: 8 questions
Final exam

30 questions. Pass with 70% or more to earn your certificate.

What you need

  • A notebook and pen, or a smartphone or computer
  • No experience needed; a free spreadsheet app such as Google Sheets is helpful but optional

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