ABDERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (Dec. 31, 2014) -- In this month's resiliency training entitled "Goal Setting and Hunt the Good Stuff," U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, or ATEC, master resiliency trainers addressed how to plan and pursue goals during a recent training session at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Recreation Center.
According to the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program, resiliency training is designed to build resilience and enhance performance of the Army family, including Soldiers, their families and Army civilians, by providing hands-on training and self-development told to better perform in stressful situations and to also thrive in life.
One of ATEC's master resiliency trainers, Master Sgt. Linwood Parker led the first half of the class discussing the resiliency skill on "Goal Setting."
"Goal Setting," as defined by the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness, or CSF2, is used to identify, plan for, and commit to the pursuit of a goal that results in more optimal performance, sustained motivation, and increased effort.
"If you set a goal, you have to work towards that goal, and the first person who knows when you are slacking is yourself," said Parker.
Parker explained to the class the 7 steps of goal setting:
Step 1- Define your goal
Step 2- Know where you are right now
Step 3- Decide what you need to develop
Step 4- Make a plan for steady improvement
Step 5- Pursue regular action
Step 6- Commit yourself completely
Step 7- Continually monitor your progress
Parker reviewed some of the benefits of being internally motivated and how that contributes to goal setting. Benefits included having a decreased amount of anxiety, enhanced concentration, increased positive emotion, effort and persistence, satisfaction, and the fulfillment from autonomy.
"My challenge to you after this training session is to take the seven step process home, look at some of your difficult, long-term goals, and apply it to your life," said Parker.
The second half of the class, another ATEC master resiliency trainer, Master Sgt. Sheila Sango, discussed the resiliency skill of "Hunting the Good Stuff."
According to CSF2, "Hunting the Good Stuff" counteracts the negativity bias to create positive emotion, and to notice and analyze what is good.
"When you 'Hunt the Good Stuff' it leads to better health, better sleep, feeling calm, better relationships, and greater life satisfaction," said Sango.
She led the class in a group discussion as they shared good things that happened during the weekend and discussed their reflection on how they felt.
Dominique Edwards, an ATEC general engineer, shared her weekend and her perspective on resiliency training in general.
"This was my first time attending a resiliency training class and what I liked most was getting to interact with my military peers since I normally don't have a whole lot of exposure to them," said Edwards. "Our mission is to support the Soldiers, so it's nice to work with them to see what they're learning, which can also apply to civilians," she said.
Resiliency training sessions are a part of the Army's Ready and Resilient campaign plan, which aims to improve the readiness and resilience of the Total Army -- Soldiers, civilians and families. Ready and resilient builds upon mental, physical, emotional, behavioral and spiritual resilience to the Total Army to enhance the ability to manage challenges.
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For more information about ATEC's Ready and Resilient Activities, visit the website calendar at www.atec.army.mil. To learn more about the Army's Ready and Resilient Campaign, visit www.army.mil/readyandresilient.
Related Links:
Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness
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