There are three kinds of goals: short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.

Short-term goals are those that usually deal with current activities, which we can apply on a daily basis. Such goals can be achieved in a week or less, or two weeks, or possibly months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation, our long-term goals cannot amount to very much without the achievement of solid short-term goals.

Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on the foundation of the medium-term goals, which might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year, or they could even extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step, you will enforce the belief in your ability to grow and succeed. And as your list of completion dates grow, your motivation and desire will increase.

Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.

【助读词汇】

-overwhelmed adj. 压倒性的，无法抵抗的

-static adj. 静态的;静力的;静电噪声

-enforce vt. 实施，强制执行;强迫;迫使

-motivation n. 积极性，兴趣，动力

【参考译文】

目标有3种：短期目标、中期目标和长期目标。

短期目标通常关乎到当前的活动，可以每天为基础。这类目标可用数月，或一两周甚至更少的时间来完成。就像建筑物一样，一定要基础牢固才能使房子牢固，如果不能扎扎实实完成短期目标，那么长期目标也就不可能有什么收获。

当我们完成短期目标的时候，我们应该要适时地在此基础上再增加一些新短期目标，以夯实中期目标的基础。中期目标通常涉及的是一学期或一学年的规划，有时也可长达数年。你一定要一步一个脚印，千万不让自己泄气，也不能被困难吓倒。你每前进一步，你都会更自信自己能成长，能成功。随着你不断完成你的既定目标，你的动力和对成功的渴望也就越强。

长期目标主要关乎到我们未来的梦想。该类目标可能需要5年甚至更长的时间去实现。生活不是一成不变的，所以我们不能让长期目标束缚了自己的行动。

【人生启迪】

所谓“人生如屋，信念如柱，柱折屋榻，柱坚屋固”。信念、目标的坍塌犹如失去航标的一叶扁舟，随时都会有沉船触礁的危险。我们只有给自己的人生设定了目标，内心深处那个勇敢、坚定、执著、不畏艰险的我们才能最大程度地激发自己的潜能，更好地迎接人生路上的各种挑战。