Goal Setting
For Self-Management strategies
Who Uses Goal Setting?
• Businesses– Big and– Small
• Academics• Sports
Positive Effects of Goal Setting
• Serve as the basis of motivation
• Attention allocation
• Amount of energy and work
• Persistence at a task
Goal Setting
Motivation Effort
Behavior Strategies
Goal Setting
• Counteracts boredom and apathy• Creates interest• Provides challenges• Provides purpose
Productivity Pyramid• Everything begins
with values• Long term goals
are developed from values
• Long term goals are attained through series of intermediate goals
• Intermediate goals attained through series of goal-oriented daily tasks
Governing Values
Long-Range Goals
IntermediateGoals
Daily Tasks
Why is Goal Setting Important?
• Goal setting is a planning process • Important aspect of self-
management• Sets positive expectations• Puts meaning into lives• Helps people achieve their dreams
and ambitions
What Kind of Goals Enhance Motivation?
• Specific goals– More likely to increase motivation– Help to determine the amount of effort
• Proximal goals – Provide reliable information about one’s
abilities– Proximal goal progress is perceived
positively– Creates confidence and helps maintain
motivation
Setting SMART Goals
• SMART goals are:– Specific– Measurable– Action-Oriented– Realistic– Timely
Specific Goal Setting
• Describes what you want to accomplish with as much detail as possible– Vague goals lessen the possibility of
attaining them
– E.g.s– I want to do well in English– I want an “A” on my next composition.
Measurable Goal Setting
• Describes goals in terms that can be clearly evaluated– No measurement means that task or
goal will never be attained
– E.g.s– I want to study my biology text.– I want to study chapter 7 and answer
all the questions.
Action-Oriented Goal Setting
• Identifies a goal that focuses on actions rather than personal qualities– Goal must have an action in order to
complete it
– E.g.s– I want a better attitude about studying.– I want to complete all assignments
before classes.
Realistic Goal Setting
• Identifies goals that are actually able to be attained– Goals can be challenging but not
unrealistic
– E.g.s – Tonight I’ll read half of my book and
complete the assignments.– Tonight I’ll read two chapters of my
book and complete the assignments.
Timely Goal Setting
• Identifies goals that break a longer term goal into shorter term goals and clearly specifies a completion date
e.g.sI want to graduate with honors.
I want to make the dean’s list this semester.
Procedures for Writing SMART goals
• Identify the area that you want to write the goal (academic, personal, etc…)
• Evaluate past and present achievement to consider the extent to which the goal is realistic and action-oriented
• State what you want to accomplish– Describe how to measure the goal – Include a specific completion date (timely)
Writing SMART goals (cont.)
• Evaluate you goal statement is it really a SMART goal
• If necessary, make modifications to your goal statement
Key Benefits of Goal Planning
• Goals influence motivation and learning
• Setting and attaining intermediate/proximal goals can motivate students to attain long-range goals
• Each goal you set should be SMART
Assignment
• Establish and Write a SMART Goal and Action Plan
• Identify a short term goal that you would like to accomplish in three weeks.
• Develop a plan for how you will obtain your goal in this 3 week time frame.
• Prepare a 1 page written report on how you can successfully attain this goal.
Points to Remember for the Assignment
• Write a SMART goal• Identify and define your goal
carefully• Make implementation plans that
will help you attain your goal• Make sure you have established
plans for evaluating your progress