| CHAPTER 2: SETTING AND REACHING GOALS |
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A fundamental way to make good use of your time in college is to prepare an efficient plan for achieving your goals. Your goals are the accomplishments you work toward or strive for; they are the things you want enough to spend your time, effort and money to achieve them. This chapter is designed to give your insight into three types of goals and tips for setting and reaching goals.
2.1. TYPES OF GOALS
There are three basic types of goals: primary, intermediate and current:
- Primary Goals: A primary goal is something that you hope to achieve in the future. Following are examples of primary goals some students have for their education:
- to earn a college degree
- to graduate with at least a 3.00 grade point average
- to prepare for a specific profession
- Primary goals are of special importance because they are used as a guide in establishing intermediate and current goals.
- Intermediate Goals: An intermediate goal is a goal that helps in accomplishing a primary goal. For example, to successfully complete a college course is an intermediate goal that helps in attaining the primary goal of earning a college degree.
- Current Goals: A current goal is a goal that leads to accomplishing an intermediate goal. To earn a good grade on a test you will take next week is a current goal that helps in attaining the intermediate goal of successfully completing a course you are taking.
As you come close to achieving primary goals, they usually become intermediate goals. For instance, as you draw near to your primary goal of graduating from college, you may set a new primary goal, such as to have a well-paying job or to be admitted to a graduate school. In so doing, your primary goal of graduating from college becomes an intermediate goal that helps you in attaining your primary goal.
Examples of Goals
| Current Goals |
| Start smoking later in the day. Smoke only ten cigarettes daily. Smoke only half of each cigarette. Drink water rather than smoke. Chew gum rather than smoke. |
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| Intermediate Goal |
| Become a nonsmoker |
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| Primary Goal |
| Live a healthy lifestyle. |
2.2. STEPS FOR ACHIEVING GOALS
Achieving Goals 1. Write primary goals. 2. Make an effective plan for achieving primary goals that is expressed in intermediate and current goals. 3. Use suggestions in Chapter 5 to schedule the exact times you will accomplish your current goals. 4. Do your best to achieve goals. Do not be discouraged by obstacles. 5. Monitor and assess your progress in achieving your goals. 6. Revise your intermediate and current goals when necessary. |
2.3. WRITING GOALS
Write primary goals first and use them to write your intermediate and current goals. Keep a list of your goals in a special place so you can read them from time to time. The following discussions explain how to write goals that are positive, measurable, and realistic.
- Write Positive and Measurable Goals: Positive goals state a behavior you want, whereas negative goals state a behavior you do not want. Compare the following goals:
- I will earn a B average this term.
- I will try to stop wasting my time.
The first goal is positive - it states a behavior a student wants; the second goal is negative - it states a behavior she doesn't want. Pursue positive goals; it is more satisfying to spend time and effort working for the worthwhile things you want than to dwell on behaviors you disapprove of. Positive goals will focus your attention on self-improvement rather than on self-defeat.
The first goal is also measurable; it states exactly what will be accomplished in terms that can be measured. If the student keeps records of the grades she receives on tests, quizzes, and assignments, she can easily monitor the degree of success she has in earning a B average. In contrast, the second goal is not measurable; it is worded in a way that makes it virtually impossible to assess when it is achieved.
- Write Realistic Goals: A goal is realistic if it is one that you are able and willing to work toward and over which you have reasonable control. Use the following criteria to decide whether a goal is realistic.
Criteria for Realistic Goals
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Think of something you want very much to accomplish, and use these four criteria to evaluate whether it is a realistic goal for you.
2.4. PLANNING INTERMEDIATE AND CURRENT GOALS - SETTING TIME FOR CURRENT GOALS
A primary goal is achieved by using an effective plan that is expressed in appropriate intermediate and current goals. When the primary goal is to earn a college degree, intermediate goals invariably include satisfactorily completing all courses that lead to the degree. Following is a list of the current goals a student prepared at the beginning of a term to help in earning a grade of at least B in a psychology course:
I will read required material before each class.
I will attend all classes and take good notes.
I will review and revise notes immediately after class.
I will do library research for the term paper.
The student used suggestions given Chapter 6 to schedule the exact times he would read his psychology textbook, revise class notes, and do library research for his term paper.
2.5. DOING YOUR BEST TO ACHIEVE GOALS
You should try your best to reach your goals. Don't be discouraged by obstacles. The path to a goal is seldom unobstructed; if you are not prepared for hindrances, you may become discouraged and give up. For instance, an unexpected problem at work or home could take your attention away from studying and prevent you from achieving the grade you want on attest. Temporary setbacks are inevitable; prepare yourself for them so that you will not become discouraged. Discouragement is the enemy of persistence, and you must be persistent to accomplish the things you want.
2.6. MONITORING AND ASSESSING YOUR PROGRESS
If you have written specific and measurable goals, it will be easy for you to monitor and assess the progress you make toward achieving. Following are some examples of current goals that are easy to monitor.
- I will have all assignments completed on time.
- I will schedule time to study for all tests.
- I will participate in all class discussions.
Continually monitor your current goals to assess whether you are accomplishing them.
Also monitor your intermediate goals. For example, a student with the intermediate goal of maintaining a B average assessed his progress toward this goal every few weeks. Following are the grades he estimated he had earned as of the fifth week of a term: English, B + ; chemistry, B; history, C; speed, A; and psychology, B. After making these estimates, he realized that he was not achieving his goal in his history course and took measures to raise the grade.
2.7. REVISING GOALS WHEN NECESSARY
The student who wanted to do better in his history course analyzed he was falling short of his goal. He determined that he had used ineffective methods in studying the course textbook, that he had not paid sufficient attention to his teacher's study suggestions, and that he had not spent enough time reviewing for tests. He developed a strategy for improvement that he expressed in the following revised current goals.
Examples of Revised Current Goals
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These revised goals helped the student earn a B - in his history course.
However, in pursuing a goal you may sometimes find that you were too optimistic about what you could achieve. For instance, in working for a grade of B in a chemistry course, a student found that despite her best efforts she was unable to earn a test grade higher than C +. Because she did not want to delay her progress by dropping the course and taking it later, she revised her goal to bring it in line with the C grade that she could realistically earn.
EXERCISES
Exercise 2.1: Primary, Intermediate, and Current Goals
The following list contains a primary goal, two intermediate goals, and three current goals. Write P in front of the Primary goal, I in front of Intermediate goals, and C in front of Current goals.
1. I will maintain a grade point average.
2. I will attend all my classes.
3. I will complete all assignments on time.
4. I will earn a college degree.
5. I will be thoroughly prepared for all tests.
6. I will take all course required in my program.
The following list contains a primary goal, two intermediate goals, and five current goals. Write P in front of the Primary goal, I in front of Intermediate goals, and C in front of Current goals.
2. I will attend all my classes.
3. I will complete all assignments on time.
4. I will earn a college degree.
5. I will be thoroughly prepared for all tests.
6. I will take all course required in my program.
The following list contains a primary goal, two intermediate goals, and five current goals. Write P in front of the Primary goal, I in front of Intermediate goals, and C in front of Current goals.
7. I will read books and articles about Mexico.
8. I will save S50 each month from my wages.
9. I will learn a great deal about Mexico.
10. I will save the money I receive as gifts.
11. I will find a better-paying job.
12. I will spend one month traveling in Mexico.
13. I will buy a map and guidebook for Mexico
14. I will save enough money to make the trip.
8. I will save S50 each month from my wages.
9. I will learn a great deal about Mexico.
10. I will save the money I receive as gifts.
11. I will find a better-paying job.
12. I will spend one month traveling in Mexico.
13. I will buy a map and guidebook for Mexico
14. I will save enough money to make the trip.
Exercise 2.2: Writing Goals
Write your primary goal for your education.
(Practice writing positive, measurable, and realistic goals).
(Practice writing positive, measurable, and realistic goals).
Exercise 2.3: Writing Intermediate and Current Goals
1. Write two intermediate goals that will help you achieve your primary goal in exercise “ Writing Goals”.
a.
b.
b.
2. Write three current goals that will help you achieve each of your intermediate goals. Then schedule the exact times you will accomplish these current goals.
a.
b.
c.
b.
c.
Exercise 2.4: Monitoring Goals
Write the answers to the following questions.
1. What method will you use to monitor and assess the first intermediate goal you wrote in the exercise 2.3?
2. What method will you use to monitor and assess the second current goal you wrote in the exercise 2.3?
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