Court Reporting XXXIX

Setting up Goals

In the court reporting field, we constantly have goals.

As students, we want to get to 225!

As workers, we want to get all caught up.

Those are awesome goals. Any goal that we make for ourselves is admirable and important, as they keep us motivated and on the right path.  But when goals become so broad, they seem to become hard to acheive. These broad goals can easily become a source of discourage ment.

The best way to attain your goals is by breaking them down;  set up short term goals.

For students, make one of these your short term goals:

-This week I will transcribe at least one test.

-Today I will read back at least one dictation.

-Today I will do my finger drills.

-Today I will practice for four hours.

-This week I will turn my assignments in on time.

-This week I will volunteer to read back in front of the class.

As reporters we can do this

-Today I will do at least 100 pages.

-Today I will turn in all my appearances/catch up on all my invoices.

What I have started doing to keep up with all my pages is now I have told myself:

I will do 10 pages for every hour that I am up.  Of course that goal will not be attainable at all times, since there are times that I will be in depos, church, mall, etc. but there are other days when I am just frolicking around the house.  If I can stick to a simple goal like that, I will forever be caught up on my pages.

Another goal is to update AT LEAST once a week for the next month. So check in.