What kind of Japanese student are you? Are you majoring in Japanese at your university? Are you taking classes here in Japan? Are you Japanese hobbyist? Doing self-study?

There are all kinds of Japanese learners out there, and regardless of what route you’re taking, many of our paths intersect at a common point: some level of Japanese fluency. Maybe your goal is just to understand a little better. Perhaps your goal is to be understood a little better. You may even be trying to achieve mastery grade fluency. In any case, your goal is your goal.

Fluency is a great goal to have, but a vague one. A martial arts mentor of mine once told me that a good goal is S.M.A.R.T: Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, and Time-Related.

Being a self-study Japanese learner, I enjoy having the JLPT because it makes what I’m doing…

Specfic: I need this score in each of the sections to pass this exam.
Measurable: Here’s how you did on the reading section, the grammar section, the listening section, etc.
Assignable: Passing is up to me. My study choices will determine the result.
Realistic: “N1? Are you crazy? I’m not ready for that. I’ll take N2 instead.”
Time-related: I have to be ready by the test date Sunday, December 6th, 2015.

I feel like the more vague a goal is, the easier it is fizzle out and forget about. This is as true for learning Japanese as it is with anything else. Don’t let that happen to you. Get S.M.A.R.T. and get studying.

QUESTION: What’s your S.M.A.R.T. Japanese goal?