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Goals

It is good to dream about achievement but dreams are not goals. Setting goals is the process by which you ensure that your daydreams become reality. Goal setting makes it much more likely that you will reach what you want to reach. Top achievers set targets for themselves to shoot at. You would not expect a person to hit a bull's eye that they could not see, so how could you achieve a goal that you do not have.

Setting long-term goals

Most goal setters agree that it is good to have goals which you want to achieve in 5-10 years' time. One important reason for thinking about long range goals is that with them you are more likely to be able to cope with the short term frustrations encountered along the way. When confronted with hard or unpleasant things to do at college your long-term objectives will help you overcome these obstacles. Sometimes we are so concerned about where we are going right now that we loose sight of our final destination. Over the years you will constantly need to revise your long term goals in the light of your progress towards accomplishing them and what you are learning about your own aspirations.

Setting short-term goals

Short-term goals and daily goals are your intermediate or immediate steps on the way to achieving your long-term goals. In college, short-term goals generally involve deciding what you want to accomplish at the end of the semester and school year in each subject. If you are unsure of your long-term goals, short-term goals are still important. The daily achievement, positive attitudes and hard work skills that you will acquire along the way will be very valuable to you in whatever career you eventually choose.

Choosing your goals

  • Rank/prioritise your goals
  • Be sure they are realistic and achievable
  • Word them positively, eg "I will pass the test"
  • Be specific, eg : I will pass the maths test with a mark of 85%
  • Don't make goals to please someone else.

    Remember, luck is not involved in achieving your goals. Success comes from a combination of goals, attitudes, time management and self motivation.