Dreams won’t cost you anything. They are going to be with you forever, and require no effort on your part. Goals, however, require action. 【小题1】 Achieving a goal will cost you time, effort, money, and sacrifice. Research has found that one of the best ways to guarantee goals will be achieved is by writing them down. Here are four tips on how to write down goals.

【小题2】 Your current situation will determine your next step. Then move on to write about where you would like to be in the future. What is your ultimate aim?

Include, in the overall plan, the short-term goals that you will need to achieve during the journey, and, if possible, include a timetable.

Creating a timetable means you will have to think of the big picture. Now is your opportunity to allow yourself the luxury of dreaming. Turn that dream into a goal by giving it substance, and planning the route.

Your timetable for success will gradually come together, and you can decide where you want to be in, say，one year，five years，or ten years. Don’t fudge(含糊其词)it，be specific， and be ambitious.

Now that you have turned your dream into a goal, and decided on your path, turn to the short-term goals. Consider the short-term objectives you will need to achieve as you progress towards your ultimate goal. 【小题4】

Make your plan positive. You will not be inspired if you use negative language. 【小题5】 List what you are going to do in positive tones that will encourage you and spur you on.

Having a plan brimful of confidence and heartening language will encourage you to achieve your ultimate goal.

Speech students are often amazed at how easily their teacher can pick out a speaker’s main points. Of course, the teacher knows what to listen for and has had plenty of practice. But the next time you get an opportunity, watch your teacher during a speech. 【小题1】.When note-taking is done properly, it is a great way to keep rack of a speaker’s ideas.

The key words here are when done properly. 【小题2】. Some try to write down everything a speaker says. They view note-taking as a race. As the speaker starts to talk, the note-taker starts to write. But soon the speaker is winning the race. Some people go to the opposite extreme. They know they can’t write down everything. 【小题3】. Every once in a while the speaker rewards them with a joke or a dramatic story. Then the note-taker seizes the pen, writes down a few words, and sits back to await the next exciting point. By the end of the lecture they have little or no record of the speaker’s important ideas.

As these examples show, most inefficient (效率低的) note-takers suffer from one or both of the two problems: 【小题4】 , and they don’t know how to record what they do listen for. The solution to the first problem is to focus on a speaker’s main points and evidence. But once you know what to listen for, you still need a sound method of note-taking.

Although there are a number of systems, most students find the key-word outline best for listening to classroom lectures and formal speeches.【小题5】.

Perfecting this system of note-taking requires practice.

Have you ever found yourself saying “I’ll never do that again”, only to find yourself doing the exact same thing just a short time later? 【小题1】 It seems all of us have repeated some of our mistakes at one time or another. The good news is that you can take steps to learn from your mistakes.

Admit your mistakes.

Don’t blame (责备) anyone or anything else. Don’t try to hide your mistake or pretend it didn’t happen. Admitting mistakes does not make you look weak. 【小题2】 When you admit mistakes, you help develop a culture of open communication and a willingness to improve by showing that you want to learn from the mistake.

Ask yourself questions.

Even though you don’t want to face your mistakes, thinking about them carefully can be helpful. Ask yourself a few questions. What went wrong? What could I do better next time? What did I learn from this?

【小题3】 Seeing your answers on paper can help you think more logically about your experience.

Make a plan.

Keeping feeling sorry for your mistakes won’t help you. 【小题4】 Make a plan that will help you avoid making a similar mistake. Be as detailed as possible but remain flexible since your plan may need to be changed.

【小题5】

Sometimes people will point out your mistakes. Find someone who is wise and reliable and who is willing to listen to your explanations of what you’ve tried so far. If you can ask for advice from an expert, that couldn’t be better.