What would happen if you ran a race without knowing where the finish line was located? You might run in the wrong direction. Or you might never finish the race.
A goal is like a finish line. It’s something you work toward. If you don’t have a goal, you may not know where you’re going or you may go in the wrong direction.
A goal is something you decide to do. If you set goals for yourself, then you’ll know where you’re going and you’ll work hard to get there. Having goals sets you on the path to make your dreams happen.
There are four steps to setting a goal:
- Identify your goal.
- Make a plan to reach your goal.
- Put your plan in motion.
- Decide if your plan is working.
Sounds simple, right? But what if you have a big or long-term goal, like getting into college ?
Break it down. Big goals are often made up of smaller, short-term goals. Accomplishing the smaller goal brings you a step closer to accomplishing the bigger goal. For example:
BIG GOAL: Go to college
Small Goal 1: Take classes that prepare you for college.
Small Goal 2: Save money for college and learn about financial aid options.
- Talk with your parents or guardians about saving for college.
Small Goal 3: Do your homework and go to class.
- Talk with a friend to compare notes and share study tips.
- Don’t procrastinate. Learn more about time management skills.
- Schedule study time, just like you schedule time to spend with friends.
- Connect with your teacher about the topics you are learning.
Small Goal 4: Get involved in activities at school or in the community.
- Ask a teacher or counselor about your school’s various groups, clubs or teams.
- Identify a group that you are interested.
- Learn about the group’s participation requirements.
- Make a commitment and join the group.
Small Goal 5: Finish high school.
- Talk witha teacher, counselor and/or an adult if you are struggling with your school work.
- Use our “Ask the counselor” feature to e-mail our counselor for help.
Each goal–no matter how big or small–builds on your previous goals and accomplishments.
And there is no one way to achieve your goals. Sometimes you can remove a smaller goal, and still accomplish your bigger goal.
Sometimes you need to rethink your plan to reach your goals. Sometimes you even need to re-evaluate the goal itself to understand why it is a goal. Don’t be afraid to modify your plans or your goals. As you work toward your dream, circumstances change. Interests change. People change. Always try to work in some flexibility to deal with such change.
It’s also okay if it takes longer than you thought it would to achieve your goals.
The key is to keep working toward your goals even when it takes longer or you encounter possible roadblocks along the way.