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Goal Setting for Success – By Rachel Abbott (ABC School’s Academic Coordinator)
As a new year swiftly approaches, many people begin to contemplate on the year that has just passed and think about the lessons that they have learned and the goals that they have, or have not, achieved. Regardless of how you view the last twelve months of your life, January is the perfect month for setting new goals and for making plans for the year ahead. A new year opens us up to exciting adventures and fantastic opportunities that can be experienced within our lives. In this article, I will share some tips on how to set effective goals for the year ahead.
Write your Goals Down
Experts in goal setting believe that writing down your goals on paper significantly increases the chance of accomplishing these goals. When you write something down, you are stating your intention and setting things in motion. Some people choose to post their goals in visible places in the house so that they can be reminded of them every day. You could stick your goals to the fridge in your kitchen or pin them up on your wall.
Choose your Goals Wisely
To maintain your focus on what you really want to achieve, you should choose a maximum of five goals and no more. Productivity studies have shown that people cannot focus on more than several items at any one time and if you try to focus on too many goals at once, you cannot give individual goals the attention they deserve. Think about quality not quantity when setting goals.
Make your Goals Smart
Once you have decided on a goal, think about if you can achieve it in the time frame you have set yourself. For example, if you want to achieve an IELTS band score of 7.0 and you are currently getting a band score of 5.0 in your practice tests, you probably shouldn’t book yourself in for an exam next month! You should make sure that your goals are “smart.” Each goal you set should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic or Relevant and Timely. An example of a SMART goal could be:
In order to achieve an overall band score of 7.0 in my IELTS exam, I will do three practice tests every week for ten weeks and will ask my teacher to mark them and provide feedback on areas that I need to improve on. I will also use online resources every week to practise all parts of the exam until I feel confident in my ability to do well in each one. In addition, I will practise under timed conditions.
If we look at the above SMART goal, we can see that it meets the criteria.
Regularly Review your Goals
By reviewing your goals once per week, you will be able to track your progress and analyse what you still need to do in order to achieve your goals. This will also give you the opportunity to amend your goals if you need to. Remember that goals are not set in stone and can be changed. Sometimes the steps you take in order to achieve your goals may not be working for you and you may need to choose another pathway.
To Sum Up
Goal setting is an important step to take if you wish to achieve success within your life. Remember that by setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can identify exactly what you want from the year ahead. Ensure that you review your goals on a regular basis in order to keep yourself motivated and moving forward confidently towards your dreams. Above all, make sure that you enjoy the journey. Good luck!
Choose your Goals Wisely
To maintain your focus on what you really want to achieve, you should choose a maximum of five goals and no more. Productivity studies have shown that people cannot focus on more than several items at any one time and if you try to focus on too many goals at once, you cannot give individual goals the attention they deserve. Think about quality not quantity when setting goals.
Make your Goals Smart
Once you have decided on a goal, think about if you can achieve it in the time frame you have set yourself. For example, if you want to achieve an IELTS band score of 7.0 and you are currently getting a band score of 5.0 in your practice tests, you probably shouldn’t book yourself in for an exam next month! You should make sure that your goals are “smart.” Each goal you set should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic or Relevant and Timely. An example of a SMART goal could be:
In order to achieve an overall band score of 7.0 in my IELTS exam, I will do three practice tests every week for ten weeks and will ask my teacher to mark them and provide feedback on areas that I need to improve on. I will also use online resources every week to practise all parts of the exam until I feel confident in my ability to do well in each one. In addition, I will practise under timed conditions.
If we look at the above SMART goal, we can see that it meets the criteria.
- Specific: I will achieve an IELTS band score of 7
- Measurable: I will be able to see my improvement in each component of the exam by doing the practice tests every week and using online resources every week. I will be closer to reaching my goal every time I complete a test
- Attainable: I will accomplish a better score by doing practice tests and asking my teacher to mark my tests and provide feedback on areas that I need to improve on. I will reach my goal because I will be improving all the time.
- Realistic or Relevant: In order to achieve a band score of 7.0 I need to do the practice tests and receive feedback on how I am doing. These things are relevant in order for my goal to be achieved.
- Timely: I will be sitting my exam on (specific date) so I will ensure that I do the practice tests and online tests every week for ten weeks as this will give me enough time to be ready.
Regularly Review your Goals
By reviewing your goals once per week, you will be able to track your progress and analyse what you still need to do in order to achieve your goals. This will also give you the opportunity to amend your goals if you need to. Remember that goals are not set in stone and can be changed. Sometimes the steps you take in order to achieve your goals may not be working for you and you may need to choose another pathway.
To Sum Up
Goal setting is an important step to take if you wish to achieve success within your life. Remember that by setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can identify exactly what you want from the year ahead. Ensure that you review your goals on a regular basis in order to keep yourself motivated and moving forward confidently towards your dreams. Above all, make sure that you enjoy the journey. Good luck!