Goal Setting

The main goal of college is for students to discover their strengths and passions. Many students like myself have difficulty forming the image of what we want to become because we have trouble focusing or figuring out how to reach our end goal. This is why goal setting is so important, especially in college. According to Locke “Goal setting can be especially useful in uninteresting or unchallenging tasks. In these situations, goals can be used to counteract boredom and apathy by providing a sense of challenge”. In other words it is important to first clearly establish a long term goal so that you have a source of motivation when taking the steps to achieving that goal. An end goal helps to push us to perform tasks that we would normally avoid. For example bodybuilders are able to go through the mundane and arduous task of lifting heavy weights daily for years on end because when they picture themselves with their dream body the sweat and grind they put into the gym all seem worth it.

Creating a Goal setting pyramid is a good way to stay on track when working towards your goals.

Although having a clear end goal is important, having the right intermediary goals are equally important. If that same body builder is not taking the correct steps to train and nourish his body he may never achieve his targeted physique no matter how much motivation he has. This is why it is extremely important to research and plan ahead so that you put yourself in the best position to succeed.

Sources:

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1984). Goal setting: A motivational technique that works!Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.