October 2015, I wrote down a list of goals, it was cathartic at the time. There were short-term goals and long-term goals which ranged from insane to mundane. I wrote them down every single day. One of my daily goals at the time was to do my homework. It might not seem like a big deal but being able to mark it off my list was pure satisfaction.

Every small goal that was marked off my list led to a bigger goal. The stepping stones of small goals got me to where I am today. Big goals are hard to achieve, we look at them and think it's too much. When I first wrote them down I didn't know if I could achieve them. In some cases, it was more a dream than anything. Who writes down "get a seven-passenger SUV"? That would be me, and I got to cross it off my list.

After three years of working away at my goals, I was surprised. I didn't realize I had accomplished so much. In 2015 one of my goals was an associate's degree, it's been just under three years and I accomplished that goal, added on my bachelors and am now working on my Masters.

My new goal sheet is not as long as the old one. I have crossed so many things off my list that for a short time I was lost. There were not enough goals to reach for, my days were empty. I find myself the most productive when I am working towards a goal. It gives me purpose and drive.

It wasn't until my undergraduate studies that I learned about George T. Doran and his creation of S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. He wrote them in 1981 and they are still being used today as a standard for many companies and successful people. I don't know when exactly I learned them, and I don't know what got me started, but one day I started my list. There was enough going on in my life that I needed focus and writing my goals was the way to get there.

Goals can be the very thing you need when life is stressful. It gives you something to focus on, that you can do small things to accomplish. Want to know if you should do something? Check your goals. If it doesn't fit, then don't do it. It doesn't matter what your goals are, how silly they may seem, how outrageous they may be, they are yours.

On my list of goals, there were only two of them that I had to say I had not accomplished. Publish my novel, this one was tough because of working on school, it took a back burner. I did pull out my novels this weekend and am going to take a fresh look at them. The other was to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I do try, but this one is probably the hardest one of all. I have packed on the freshman fifteen and added a few due to being happily married.

My goals now: Get my masters, publish my novel, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Today's goals: Drink 64oz of water, workout at least 10 minutes, and submit my homework assignment.

What goals are you making?