Ahhh… September. A new school year. A fresh start. New goals. Goal-setting can be helpful for students, parents, and teachers alike. Unfortunately, many will have difficulty sticking to their goals by October. So, how to set goals that will ensure follow through all year long? Here are some strategies for setting (and achieving!) your goals.
- WRITE IT DOWN
Photo by Breakingpic on Pexels.com
Whether you write your goal(s) in your “Notes” on your iPhone or in a Google Doc or keep them on a piece of paper in your wallet, the first step is knowing what you want to achieve and putting it in written form. When you put a goal into written form, it becomes less abstract – it forces you to commit to something specific.
- SHARE YOUR GOALS WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER
When you share your goal with a friend or family member, the goal becomes real. Someone else is aware of your goal and now he or she can hold you accountable to achieving it.
- BREAK YOUR GOAL DOWN INTO SMALL STEPS
It may be helpful to view your goal as a mountain. The overall goal might be to get to the top of the mountain, but many small steps will be needed to get there. Breaking down your goal into smaller steps makes it less overwhelming and more achievable.
- EVALUATE YOUR GOAL
One of the main reasons that people do not accomplish their goals is that they do not set a time during which they will evaluate them. Set a timeline to help keep yourself accountable. This could be short-term or long-term, but there needs to be an opportunity to reflect and see if the goal was achieved.
- ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL HAVE SETBACKS
Setbacks can be difficult, but they don’t mean that you have failed. When you have a setback, accept that you have had it and that you will get back on track. Beating yourself up will not make you achieve your goal(s). In fact, people who are less self-critical are more likely to achieve because they don’t let their inner critic get in the way of trying. Next time you have a setback, try approaching it in the same way you would if your friend had a setback. What would you say to him or her? Being kind to ourselves doesn’t mean that we give up our goals; it just means less suffering and more support to get back on track.
Further Reading:
Mindtools.com: SMART Goals
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm
Forbes: Neuroscience Explains Why You Need To Write Down Your Goals If You Actually Want To Achieve Them
Self-compassion.org: The Motivational Power of Self-Compassion
http://self-compassion.org/the-motivational-power-of-self-compassion/
Greater Good Magazine: Three Emotions That Can Help You Succeed At Your Goals
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/three_emotions_that_can_help_you_succeed_at_your_goals
Healthy Learning MTL 
One thought on “How to Create Goals That Stick (and How to Get Unstuck)”