PDP Activity 2: Long-term Vision & Short-term Goals for University

This PDP activity involves creating a long-term vision for the future and setting short-term goals for the time at university. The long-term vision includes aspects such as living location, work environment, and personal values. The short-term goals include gaining a deeper understanding of the subject, enhancing thinking and problem-solving skills, and developing technical and people skills. The activity also involves setting milestones for achieving these goals.

PDP Activity 2 – Your long-term vision & short term goals for your time at
university.
Name: Student ID:
PART 1 – Your Long Term Vision.
In this part of the Personal Development Plan, you need to look in general at your long-term goals.
These relate to the responses you gave to the ‘spectrum of success’ exercise and require you to put
some more detailed thought into how you will achieve your aspirations related to success in life.
For each of the items listed in the box, write what your vision of that aspect would be – try to
elaborate as much as possible, short 3 or 4 word answers are not sufficient. Then create a system for
yourself whereby you are able to rate how important each element is to you. The form should be
quite full of text by the time you finish – the boxes will expand to take whatever you type in to them.
This is probably one form that would not be suitable for completion by hand. If you plan to do so,
then you will need to provide extra pages to take your visions of each element.
Activity & Reflection: The Long-Term Vision
Ten years from now, I see myself…
Aspect Write your own vision of this
aspect below
How important is this aspect
to me?
Living in which part of the world? I would love to live on the
eastern parts of the world. I
do have a preference towards
Singapore, Thailand or the
Philippines.
It’s very important for me to
achieve this goals. The
countries are so green and
surrounded by water bodies
and they really do look like
heaven on earth. It would
bring my life in focus with
nature.
Living in what kind of place (city, town,
village, countryside, by the sea, etc.)?
being that most of my life I
have lived in the busy, noisy
polluted towns, I would prefer
setting my life by the sea
where I can enjoy beautiful
sceneries, cool breeze and a
lovely sight of the sunrise and
sunset by the evening.
This is important as I believe
that living a calm peaceful
life is key to achieving
success and being able to
live a life of true happiness.
The sea connects one to the
soul through meditation and
allows one to settle more
into their own selves.
Considering the most important things in
my life to be …
Family, love and happiness
drawn from either
achievements of goals or
being able to reach certain
It’s important for me to not
only obtain material success
but to be generally happy
from the inside. Feeling
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milestones in life. satisfaction, gratitude and
even more so fulfilment
from the life that I choose to
lead next to the people I
desire to be with sharing
moments in life.
Solitary? Or surrounded by people? I cannot live my life alone. It
would lack its meaning. So
definitely, I choose to be
surrounded by people even
though few people would do.
I live by the old adage that
no man is an island. I came
to a world full of people and
even with the difference of
personalities and characters,
it’s better with them around
than being the last man
standing in such a big vast
world.
Working with colleagues who are artistic?
intellectual? practical? caring? down-to-
earth? active? thoughtful? kind?
If a person has compassion in
them, then they would
possess all other qualities. So
working with caring people
would be my choice of
workmates.
If a person is caring, then
they always will have your
best interest at heart. This
would mean that they are
likely to have other qualities
like down to earth,
thoughtful and kind. A
person may be successful,
active and intellectual but if
he lacks basic human values,
it’s all futile. The world
would always be spiralling in
wrong directions.
Working to stress levels which are …
Pressurised? Reasonable? Very low level?
Reasonable stress is good
form of stress as it keeps one
on their toes but it’s not
unhealthy at the same time.
If one has nothing keeping
their mind woke, it’s easy to
fall into a place of comfort
and have their lives dwindle
into nothingness so being a
little bit stressed can be
good. Only if the stress
doesn’t take over ones
mental sanity or physical
well-being.
Enjoying privacy? Public attention?
Celebrity?
I would prefer to enjoy my
privacy than have my freedom
to be and do as I will take
away by the fame.
It’s important to be able to
enjoy privileges such as
freedom. Celebrities and
famous people tend to be
held prisoner by the same
people that praise and desire
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their fame. They have to act
and behave in a certain way
in order to salvage their
reputations. That isn’t living.
For me that’s existing and so
far, there are less celebrities
that have listened more
advantages than
disadvantages with the
status that they enjoy.
Working 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 hours a
week?
80 hours per week sounds
reasonable for a healthy
human being.
They say too much of
something is poisonous.
Rather than working long
hours and burning out on
energy and health. Its useful
utilising all work hours and
taking a break when the
hours are done to replenish
one’s mind and body and go
back to it with a fresh
outlook of ideas.
Taking a lead? Being a good second in
command? Happy to be part of a team?
One of a large crowd?
Being a good second in
command.
Taking lead doesn’t mean
that one is the best
candidate, there is so much
pressure with being the lead
and therefore less work is
achieved. It’s better being
the second and achieving
much more work and merits
behind the scene.
Wanting to ‘get by’ unnoticed? Gaining
reasonable recognition for my work? Being
top management? World-famous?
Gaining reasonable
recognition for my work is
important for motivation.
Though reasonable
recognition comes with a
little bit of fame, it’s
important to once in a while
be patted on the back for
doing something right. It
boosts one’s morale and
helps one to keep on going
on with the hard work even
when faced with hard trials.
Based mostly in an office? On the road? In
the field?
Being based in the field is
better than any other location.
This is important as it would
allow me to stay in contact
with people who are the
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reason for working so as to
give the community better
services.
Working for myself? Working for a large
company? Working for a small company?
Working for myself is better as
it makes one in charge of
many things.
Being able to work for myself
means that I get to be in
charge of the project from
conception to the
completion. I can add in my
thoughts and have
instructions carried out to
according to my
specifications.
Doing work which is varied? Very routine?
Predictable?
Varied work. Variety spices out life and
brings on challenges that
make the course more
worthwhile.
Likely to stay in the same job for years?
Changing job occasionally?
Likely to stay in the job for
more years.
If one is engaged in the kind
of work that one is
passionate about, then one
would stay in the same
career for as long as one can
for the gratification and
fulfilment it brings.
Living with a large/small/minimal family?
With strong/weak/some family
connections?
Living with a small family with
strong family connections.
This makes the bonds much
stronger through
communication.
Considering my work to be
central/important/not very important in
my life?
Important. To say that my work be the
centre of my life would
mean that I would never
come to a full circle in my
phase of life as I would
sacrifice much for it. I believe
that that isn’t a full life.
My contribution to my community or
society will be through …
Helping the needy children
attain a good education.
I truly believe that
knowledge is power and one
can overcome many trial
with a knowledgeable mind.
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My time outside work will be spent doing
…
Fulfilling other hobbies that
am passionate about like art
and photography and most of
all being around my family.
I believe that this helps make
one more fulfilled and
satisfied in life. It brings in
more happiness.
My friends will be the kinds of people who
…
Who are genuine and caring? We all need real people who
tell us the truth and are
always honest with us even
when we are on the wrong
side because that means
that they have our best
interests at heart.
I will be the kind of person who … Values people more than I
value material things in life.
This will keep me grounded
to the true course of life and
help me in fulfilling my life’s
purpose.
My main achievements in life are likely to
be …
Being successful in my career,
being the best friend to my
friends, and a good partner to
my companion and a
wonderful parent to my kids.
Giving my best is important
means that I have placed my
best efforts in all my
passions. Whether or not I
get the best efforts means
that I tried and didn’t give
up.
Other important aspects of my vision of
the future are …
Fulfilling my other dreams and
being active in most of my
goals like wild adventures and
mountain climbing.
It’s important to do as much
as I can when I have the
ability to do so.
The main influences, inspirations and
values on this vision of my future derive
from …
My family and mentors. Listening to most of my life
mentors describe life like a
piece of art in gallery makes
me to want to experience all
that life has to offer for me.
Also looking at my parents
and how they gave it their all
to fulfil that dream enables
me to go further as well.
If you found it difficult to answer many of the questions above, then either you are very flexible, or
else you need to spend more time thinking about what sort of things you want from life. This will
help you to make certain decisions within your program (such as elective choices and majors) and
help with decisions about work experience and extra-curricular activities that could help towards
your goals.
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PART 2 – Short term goals and attributes needed to achieve them
PART 2 – What do I want from my time at university?
On the table below, indicate if the item is something you wish to gain from your time at university.
Use a () to show that it is important up to () if it is something that is very important to you.
Once you have completed the table column ‘Important to me?’, rank the statements in order of
importance from 1 (most important), 2 (next most important) and so on.
From my time at university I want to:
Important to
me?
Order of
importance
Get the piece of paper' (the qualification)  10
Achieve a good classification of degree  6
Gain a deeper understanding of my specialist subject  4
Enhance my thinking ability  3
Broaden my mind  2
Stretch myself intellectually  16
Know myself better  1
Learn to believe in my own abilities  5
Gain the confidence to speak in public  21
Experience student life  20
Enhance my career opportunities  17
Be able to get a well-paid job  18
Develop technical skills  7
Develop a wide range of skills  8
Word with a wider range of people  24
Develop problem-solving skills  9
Develop people skills  23
Try out new things  11
Develop a broader set of interest  19
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Gain work or volunteering experience  15
Make friends  25
Make contacts for my career  12
Take on positions of responsibility  13
Set and achieve challenges to myself  14
Other things:
Activity : Short-term goals
Select the three items to which you gave the highest rating of importance in the previous activity on
‘what do I want to get from my time at university?’ Consider what short-term goals you can set in
order to give yourself an initial taste of success. You may need several short-term goals for each item
you select. These goals are 'milestones' along the road to success. Copy this table and keep it where
it will remind you to complete the goal.
Item Short-term goals When I will do this How I will know I have
achieved this?
1 know myself better. (a) take time to
meditate
In the mornings and
evenings.
By documenting my
thoughts and ideas and
checking on the
progress of my
character.
(b) Try out as many
things as I can that I
find of interest to me.
Any time I have free
time.
If I keep on being
pulled to certain
activities or hobbies
then I will know they
are of more importance
to me than others.
(c) being more
intentional with my
words and actions
all the time
If a pressing
uncomfortable situation
comes up and am able
to render my decision
firmly without being
swayed otherwise.
2 Broaden my mind. (a) Learn from
others.
all the time
If I am able to learn one
or more things from
them that I didn’t know
before.
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(b) Read more
Any time I get.
If I can understand
different phenomena
that I had no
understanding or
knowledge of before.
(c) Travel more
During long school
breaks and weekends.
If I view people and the
world from different
perspective than the
ones I had before.
3 Enhance my thinking
ability.
(a) engage in a
habitual
reading
culture of
things beyond
my line of
study
Any time I am in the
library or online over
the internet.
By always taking note
of every new thing I
learn on a notebook.
(b) eating healthy
all the time
If I am able to
remember more than
the usual.
(c) exercise more
and staying
positive
all the time
If I am able to stay
active and happy
throughout the day
regardless of the
environment I may be
in.
For one (or all if you choose) of the short term goals chosen, complete the table below:
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Attributes needed to achieve personal goals
The goal or ambition analysed here is:
To achieve this goal or ambition, the following attributes will probably be needed:
Attributes needed to achieve personal goals
Self knowledge and self-awareness 
Problem solving ability 
A creative approach 
A positive attitude 
People skills 
Team work 
Leadership 
Negotiating skills 
A desire to succeed 
A willingness to 'do what it takes' 
Emotional intelligence 
The ability to manage personal stress 
The ability to cope with change 
The ability to promote and bring about change 
Self-confidence 
A broad range of personal interests 
Good health 
Self-knowledge (refelection, self-analysis) 
Risk management 
Ability to cope with uncertainty 
Good study skills 
Perseverence 
Great time management and planning 
An understanding of how I learn 
Continuous improvement in performance 
Dogged determination 
Exceptional communication skills 
Anything else?
Highly
relevant
May be
relevant
Not
relevant
Don't
know
R
eflection activity on educational background:
We know that we build on positive learning experiences. Think back to your time at school (or
maybe TAFE or some other learning institution) – think about what learning was like – maybe it was
fun, learning flowed and you felt a sense of accomplishment. In what ways do you consider your
positive educational experiences have had an impact on your current performance generally?
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Positive educational experiences greatly influenced my capacity to remember much of what was
taught in the class. It also made the experience much more of a wonderful experience like reading
a favourite novel. It made it easier to fill out the answer booklet during tests and final exams.
What positive things did the educational experience give you that you carry through life? (this may
of course not be related to classroom learning) – has it influenced your long term goals?
To take life as an adventure where I am the number one participant. To have a positive outlook in
life no matter how tough the environment can be. To be able to adapt in any environment and get
along with the people irrespective of their personalities and characters.
Of course, sometimes we end up scarred by negative learning experiences. Think of a time when
something you experienced that has still influenced your approach to learning, but that at the time
was something that you were not really happy about. Reflect on this event using the reflective
writing techniques that you have been taught.
Looking back, there are so many times that I missed deadlines on submitting my assignments and I
always had to redo the work and get poor grades after submission based on the delay. In those
times, I didn’t like the units much or the lecturer as I thought he or she was unfair. Looking back
after sometime, I think we can’t always have things go our way all the time. What’s more
important is to learn that our failures define us more than our successes as our failures help us to
achieve healing, growth and courage to stand up and do better next time and experience like has
always been the best teacher.
Finally, think of a time when something you achieved or completed was done as well as you know
you could have done it – something that you were really happy and proud about. Reflect on this
event using the reflective writing techniques that you have been taught.
Being able to score high on my essays and get awarded for performance excellence and also gain
the respect and admiration of teachers and the varsity board was quite a high for me. I remember
thinking at the time that if I was able to reach that major milestone, then am more than well-
equipped mentally to reach others and fulfil each one of my goals. That’s the day when I finally
realized that the sky isn’t the limit for me as there are endless possibilities that I can partake in
life. I now go forth with the mindset that I am able to achieve all that I set out to achieve.
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