Goal Setting - Step 8 online video
Steps below:
  • Would you get into a car and drive without knowing where you were going?
  • Would you board a plane without knowing its destination?

The answer is probably no. Most people’s behaviour is goal driven and those who set clear goals are the ones who succeed.

Who Uses Goal Setting Techniques?

Top level athletes and top business people use goals setting always. In fact all achievers in all fields use goals, because setting goals provides them with the following:

  1. long-term vision (exactly what they want)
  2. short-term motivation (drives their behaviour)
  3. self-awareness (what they need or don’t need)
  4. organise their time (make the most of their life)
  5. self-confidence (improves once achieved)

During the 10 step online Learning4Learning program students are guided through the process of setting up realistic short-term and long-term goals to enable them to increase their motivation and become extremely focused.

Setting goals can often seem like a huge task, so if you are procrastinating already try this. Set yourself a small goal – something that you know you can achieve today. Decide how you are going to achieve it and go for it. Do the same tomorrow. Once we are aware that we can achieve once we set our minds to it, this will in turn give us the confidence to go for more and more goals. This cycle of success will have a positive effect on your thought process and beliefs.

How Do We Set Goals?

Goals should be SMART.

S = Specific (exactly what you want to achieve)
M = Measurable (how you will know)
A = Attainable (ensure that it is within your limits)
R = Realistic (are you willing to do what it takes)
T= Time framed (setting time limit to achieve)

Tips for Goal Setting

a. Goals should be written down.

Once you comit your goals to paper they then become more realistic. Remember all written long-term goals should also include how you know you have achieved.

b. Goals should be based on needs.

Do not get carried away with goals that are not essential to you right now. 

c. Goals should be based on performance to date

All of us would ideally like to get straight A’s in all subjects. However this is not feasible for everyone. Look carefully at your performance to date and decide what would be a realistic jump in grade. For example it is much easier to improve a D3 grade than an A3 grade for most people, yet often we put all our efforts into the subjects that we like best and where grades are already fairly high.

d. Have a fallback position.

Prepare for the unexpected and decide how you are going to deal with a situation where you didn’t quite achieve what you wanted. This may involve re-setting the goal completely or just revising it slightly.