Goal-Setting: In Practice and In Action

Example: “What do you think a goal is? A goal is a target. It is the aim of an action or task that a person desires to achieve or obtain.”

Example: “Why set goals? Goals help you focus. They affect our performance by directing our attention and effort toward ‘goal-relevant’ activities and away from ‘goal-irrelevant’ activities” (Locke & Latham, 2002).

Example: “A goal is meaningful to you, based on information, and is about you and not others. It is specific and can be measured. Just as important, a goal is something you commit to and believe you can accomplish. To get to the goal without quitting, remember what you set out to do and modify the goal, if needed.”

Example: During the wording of goal setting, note reasons why the goal is desirable. These reasons may be useful later when students aren’t as motivated to pursue the goal. Remembering the “why” will help them work through the “how.” Focus on positive consequences such as increases, rewards, or recognition. Also, sometimes it’s a good idea to have students rate the goal importance on a scale of 0 to 100 (0=not important to 100=very important). If the rating doesn’t seem high enough, they can refine the goal to increase significance.

Example: Have students write action plans for goals given to them so they learn how to plan for their own goals. For instance, tell them the goal is to submit a complete college application by the end of November. What might they need to do and by when?

Example: As with any positive behavior change, contingent reinforcement encourages efforts and helps students retain commitment. Students also will receive positive reinforcement when achieving mini-goals, which fuels motivation.

Example: When assisting students with goal setting, ask them to think of actions needed to attain the goal. For example, if the goal is to improve a test score, how will the student accomplish that improvement? When will each action be done? Who will be a resource? Who can give feedback to help gauge whether the goal is being pursued effectively or changes are needed? Obtaining reaction information from others contributes to data-based goal setting (Sorrentino, 2006).

You also may need to guide students to see what might need to be modified, so they can adjust focus. Before, during, or along the way in the goal process, also help students identify what might facilitate or restrict goal attainment. Is their goal too ambitious? Do they have limiting beliefs such as fear, unrelenting standards, or entitlement attitudes that need to be replaced with more positive thinking? Awareness of pitfalls helps students navigate through them. This process feedback helps students adjust efforts and may include specific tasks that need to be done to achieve the desired goal. When the goal is completed, they will receive outcome feedback that analyzes their efforts. Both types of feedback should be specific so students know what they need to do for expected performance.

Example: Explain to students that they have to monitor and make adjustments to their goal periodically. After a review, they may have to approach tasks differently or modify their plan along the way if the original plan isn’t effective. For example, a student may have to add a step, e.g., “I will ask classmates for help when I don’t understand.” Goal revision is an opportunity to model functional change in response to changing situations. Replace limiting beliefs with positive thoughts.

Example: Students might benefit from comparing thoughts with others working on goals.