BY MUHAMMAD ASYRAF BIN ROZIE - 2022262412Goal Setting BlueprintGoals are like wishes we can grant for ourselves.They can be big or small. Goals can seem hard to reach,“but with a plan we can come closer to achieving them.”
Table ofContentsFrom the EditorS.M.A.R.T GoalsS.M.A.R.T Goals FrameworkZig Ziglar’s 7 StepsConclusion010203-0506-0809
From theEditorThe Long Game!They say that \"Success is noaccident. It is hard work,perseverance, learning, andsacrifice.\"If you are reading this, youprobably know what that feelslike. You know that achieving bigdreams isn't easy. I am living thatreality right now.My life is a balancing act. By day, I am a new HR Executive learning the ropes ofmy job. By night, I am a student working toward my degree. I have a clear targetin my mind: December 2027. That is when I will graduate and reach the next levelof my career.But 2027 feels far away.This isn't about the finish line. It is about the middle part of the journey. It isabout the mornings when I wake up at 5:00 AM to study because I want to, notbecause I have to. It is about being tired after work but opening my textbooksanyway. It is about believing that the hard work I do today will pay off in thefuture.I am sharing my S.M.A.R.T goals & Zig Ziglar’s seven steps to goal setting herefor anyone else who is playing the long game. Whether you are working,studying, or doing both like me—keep going. The future depends on what we dotoday.Welcome to my journey.Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.“ ”– Abraham LincolnPage 1
WHYSETGOALS?Setting goals builds focus and accountability.You know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, and when you’ve arrived.That reduces stress and improve the outcomes.Goals turn vision into actionable stepsFocus on impact, not just effortCreates alignment and clarityS.M.A.R.T GoalsPage 2
SMSPECIFICMEASURABLEI need to be precise about my destination so Idon't get lost in the daily grind. Simplywanting to \"do well\" is too vague. Instead, Iam targeting the specific job title of SeniorHR Executive because it represents the firstmajor step up the corporate ladder from mycurrent entry-level role. Similarly, setting aspecific academic target of a 3.5 CGPA keepsme focused on excellence rather than justscraping by. This specificity gives me a clear\"North Star\" to look at when I am feelingoverwhelmed.To know if I am actually making progress, Ineed concrete metrics. I will measure myprofessional growth by successfully leadingand completing two key processimprovements within my department—suchas digitizing employee files or streamliningthe interview process. These are tangiblewins I can put on a resume. Academically, the3.5 CGPA is a hard number that I can trackevery semester. If I drop below it, I willimmediately know I need to adjust my studyhabits.S.M.A.R.T GoalsFrameworkPage 3
ARACHIEVABLERELEVANTI must be realistic to avoid burnout. I have seta two-year runway (2025–2027), which is areasonable amount of time to go from a freshhire to a Senior Executive. This timelineacknowledges that I am a beginner right nowand need time to learn the ropes. Byspreading the goal over two years, I allowmyself room to make mistakes, learn fromthem, and grow without the pressure ofneeding to be perfect immediately.This goal is not just about checking boxes; itis about aligning my life's two biggestcommitments. My degree in 2027 will not justbe a piece of paper; it will be the theoreticalbacking to the 3 years of practical experienceI am building right now. Every HR theory Ilearn in class can be tested at work, and everychallenge I face at work can be used as acase study for my assignments. This makesboth my work and my study more valuable tome.S.M.A.R.T GoalsFrameworkPage 5
DeadlTinIeMs cEre-aBteOurUgeNncDy. By anchoringTmygoal to December 2027, I create a finish line.Without this date, it would be easy toprocrastinate on my career growth or let mystudies drag on. Knowing that I have a hardstop date helps me prioritize my time today,forcing me to say \"no\" to distractions thatdon't help me reach that December 2027target.S.M.A.R.T GoalsFrameworkWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.“ ”– AristotlePage 5
010203Writing the goal down is the first step in making itreal. Zig Ziglar taught that you cannot hit a target youcannot see. By writing out my intention to become aSenior HR Executive with a 3.5 CGPA, I am making apsychological contract with myself. This is no longerjust a wish floating in my head; it is a documentedobjective that I can look at every morning to remindmyself what I am working toward.Zig Ziglar’s 7 StepsSTEP1: IDENTIFYTHEGOALWhen the motivation fades and it will. I need to know why Iam suffering through late-night study sessions. The benefitsare my fuel. Professionally, I will fast-track my career,potentially skipping years of junior-level work because I willhave both the degree and the experience. This moves meinto a higher tax bracket and provides security for my future.Personally, the confidence I will gain from juggling these twomassive responsibilities will prove to me that I am capableof handling anything life throws at me.I must anticipate the rough patches so they don'tsurprise me. The biggest obstacle will be time conflict,there will inevitably be weeks when a major HR projectcoincides with finals week. I also face the risk ofmental fatigue, where my brain feels too fried afterwork to open a textbook. By acknowledging these now,I can stop seeing them as failures and start seeingthem as expected challenges that I need to plan for,such as taking annual leave during exam weeks.STEP3: LISTTHEOBSTACLESTOOVERCOMESTEP2: LISTTHEBENEFITS(MY\"WHY\")Page 6
040506To achieve this, I need to become a dual-expert. On the job,I need to master technical HR skills like the EmploymentAct 1955 and payroll systems (like SQL) so I becomeindispensable to my team. In school, I need to developacademic efficiency learning how to speed-read andresearch quickly so I don't waste hours on assignments. Ialso need to learn negotiation skills to manage my boss'sexpectations, ensuring I get the support I need to studywithout looking like I'm neglecting my job.Zig Ziglar’s 7 StepsSTEP4: LISTTHESKILLSANDKNOWLEDGEREQUIREDI cannot do this alone. I need to cultivate a relationshipwith my manager where they view my education as anasset to the company, not a distraction. I also need tofind a \"tribe\" of fellow working students who can offermoral support when things get tough. Finally, finding amentor in the HR field is crucial; they can look at mycareer path from the outside and tell me exactly whichprojects will help me get that promotion and which onesare a waste of time.A goal without a plan is just a wish. My plan involves astrict daily routine, waking up early (e.g.,5 AM) to studywhen the house is quiet and my mind is clear, ensuring myevenings are free for decompression or overtime ifneeded. Weekly, I will treat my Sunday nights as a strategysession, mapping out every deadline for the next 7 days.Quarterly, I will review my career progress, picking onespecific work process to improve so that by the end of theyear, I have a portfolio of successes to show my boss.STEP6:DEVELOPAPLANOFACTIONSTEP5: IDENTIFYTHEPEOPLEANDGROUPSTOWORKWITHPage 7
07I need benchmarks to keep me honest. My first milestoneis passing my probation period in mid-2026, which proves Ican do the job. My second milestone is completing Year 4of my studies with my target GPA. These smaller deadlinesact as stepping stones toward the ultimate deadline ofDecember 2027. Breaking the journey down prevents mefrom feeling overwhelmed by the sheer size of the 2-yearcommitment.Zig Ziglar’s 7 StepsSTEP7:SETADEADLINEPage 8
The road to December 2027 is long. I know there will be days when I feeltired. I know there will be times when balancing my new job and my classesfeels like too much.But I also know why I started.I am using the SMART goal framework to keep me focused. My target isSpecific: I want to be a Senior HR Executive. It is Measurable: I will aim for a3.5 CGPA and complete two major work projects. And it is Time-Bound: Ihave a clear deadline of December 2027. Knowing exactly what I am aimingfor stops me from getting lost in the busy days.But a goal is nothing without action. That is why I am following Zig Ziglar’s 7Steps of Goal Setting.ConclusionPage 9Ziglar taught that we must \"list the obstacles\"before we start. I know my obstacles—timemanagement and fatigue—so I am ready forthem. He also said we must \"have a plan ofaction.\" My plan involves early mornings andstrict weekly reviews. I am not just hoping forsuccess; I am scheduling it.As Nelson Mandela once said, \"It always seemsimpossible until it is done.\"Right now, looking at the next two years, it mightseem impossible. But I am taking it one day at atime. I am ready to do the work, and I am excitedto see who I will be when I finally cross thatfinish line.