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