Setting Goals
Helping you get what you want
It’s easy to focus on the details of everyday life and lose sight of larger, long-term goals. But, the process of
setting goals allows you to take charge of your life as a student by providing direction, purpose and motivation.
What is a goal? You can have short-term goals (i.e., goals for the semester) or long-term goals (i.e., career
goals; goals for your college career). A goal is defined in Webster’s dictionary as an “objective: the purpose towards
which an endeavor is directed.” Setting several short-term goals has been shown to be effective in helping you reach
your long-term goals.
How do you set goals? You are more likely to reach goals that are important to you, challenging yet
attainable, & that you write down and share with others. Setting SMART goals can help:
S SPECIFIC State exactly what you want to achieve.
(e.g., Understand the concept of regression in Statistics.)
M MEASURABLE Establish clear definitions to help you know if you’re reaching (or
have reached) your goal. (e.g., Complete the regression homework without looking at my notes.)
A ACTION-ORIENTED Describe your goals using action verbs, and outline the
exact steps you will take to accomplish your goal.
(e.g., Read, rewrite notes, and do practice problems in Chapter 8.)
R REALISTIC Do you have the time and resources to meet this goal? (e.g., I will work
on it in my free time after work on Tues.)
T TIME-BOUND Decide exactly when you’ll start and finish your goal. (e.g., I will
start on Tuesday night and finish by 11pm so I can watch Family Guy.)
Setting Goals
Helping you get what you want
GOAL SETTING PROCESS
1. My long-term goal is: (Remember, SMART!)
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2. I want to achieve this goal because it is important and meaningful to me in these ways:
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3. What are some short-term goals that will help me to reach this long-term goal?
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4. If a stranger were to read my goal statement, he/she would know exactly what I am trying to achieve
(reword if the answer is “no"):
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5. I will know when I have achieved my goal because I will have:
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6. My goal will require me to have the following skills, abilities, and/or resources:
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7. I know my goal is realistic because I have the skills, abilities, and/or resources listed in #6 above
(reassess your goal if you don’t have items listed in #6)
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8. What are some obstacles to reaching my goal? What are the benefits?
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