Goal Setting
Why set goals?
You might set goals to:
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express a vision of your future
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provide focus for your energies
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help motivate yourself
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allow monitoring of progress
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promote a feeling of being in control
Are there different types of goals?
Clearly a goal that embraces a vision of your future is likely to be a long-term goal. Long term goals carry a broad sense of our hopes and ambitions. In the every day sense, of course, we need more practical, achievable goals. These are usually short-term.
It is also worth noting that there are goals you have for yourself but that sometimes other people have goals for you as well. There are many opportunities for conflicting expectations here!
What are some areas of life where people have goals?
It is possible to formulate goals for any area of life: financial, personal, cultural and artistic, educational, career, family. Before sitting down to write goals for any of these areas, however, it is also useful to think about what you value.
What is important to you in the way you live your life? If you are not sure what this means, look around at public figures who you admire. What might be their motivations and aspirations? What do these say about their values? It can sometimes be instructive to also do this for people to whom we respond negatively!
Isn't this a huge task?
It would certainly be a big task to formulate goals for all areas of your life. Of course it does not have to be done all at once. Indeed, it can be argued that sometimes it is of great value to not have any goals at all, but simply explore life's flow.
The focus of this section is, of course, on educational goals.
Why not try starting with the "big picture"? Write down a brief, clear statement about what your educational goal is for the next four years.
Next, think about your goals for this year with regard to your studies.
At this point we need to take an important side trip into the difference between performance and outcome goals.
What are outcome goals?
Outcome goals relate to a specific result that you want to achieve. Here are examples:
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I will attend every English tutorial this semester
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I will study for at least three hours every weeknight
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I will earn $100 per week from my part-time job this semester
The problem with outcome goals is that they set us up for failure. It is not only possible but also quite likely that outside factors will have an impact and make the goal impossible to achieve.
Attend every tutorial? What if your car breaks down or there is a transport strike? Similarly, the strict requirement of a set period of study every night is a goal begging for failure. Unexpected visitors, changing circumstances (such as part-time work!) or illness may intrude. Finally, the business which employs you may close, the shifts offered to you might clash with classes, and so on.
So what are performance goals?
Performance goals involve tasks and processes. For example:
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Attending lectures and tutorials will be a major priority this semester and I will increase my English tutorial attendance compared to previous semesters
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I will devise a realistic study timetable that recognises my life commitments and trial this for one semester
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I will negotiate with my employer to engage in appropriate work commitments
In these latter instances, the chances of successfully completing the tasks set out in the goals are much higher. Not only that, but they are quite likely to result in the desired outcomes being achieved.
How does one set short-term goals?
Short-term goals for a student are likely to be strongly influenced by the assessment requirements for each subject.
When there is a major examination at the end of a course of study, a series of short-term goals will lead towards this via a set of planned strategic tasks. This may involve such tasks as:
When the assessment is an essay, the tasks and associated goals may include:
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examination and discussion of the essay question
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collecting a reference list
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reading
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preparation of notes, planning an outline, getting feedback on this
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preparing a draft
When setting short-term goals, it is vital that you have a diary or planner handy. It is also important to monitor other commitments, as at some peak study times choices will have to be made.
Troubleshooting!
If you are having trouble achieving the goals you have set, there are some things you can look at:
Have you set outcome rather than performance goals?
Are your goals unreasonably high? Your "best" performance relates to a peak. It cannot be sustained indefinitely. Set goals based on your average performance.
The goals might be too low. Everyone needs some challenge.
What are you aiming at? Vague goals are hard to hit. Think about what you want to achieve and the skills and knowledge needed.
Do you need to look at organisation of time and materials?
Have you prioritised your goals?
Any more hints?
Note your progress and your successes and celebrate them!
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