Effective Goal-Setting

Performance Learning PLUS is a monthly e-newsletter by Performance Learning Systems (PLS), a comprehensive educational services company that has provided a full spectrum of programs, products, and consulting services to educators and business professionals since 1971.

How many times have you been asked if you've made any resolutions this New Year? Did you have an answer? One way to turn resolutions into a reality is through effective goal-setting. Read on for practical goal-setting strategies for you and your students.

Tips

As educators, we juggle countless responsibilities in our personal and professional lives. If you're feeling overwhelmed, or just looking for a new way to approach your responsibilities proactively, you may want to try goal-setting. Effective goal-setting reduces stress, enhances motivation and performance, and is a great way to start the New Year.

I. CLARIFY YOUR VALUES

Identifying your values is a key step in ensuring that you spend your time and energy on those things that are most important to you. Here is an activity that can help you examine your values.

Directions:

• Print out this e-newsletter and review the list of values below. Add any of your other values to the list in the blank spaces provided at the bottom.
• Check off the values that are relevant to you and disregard the rest.
• Imagine that you have been given a total of $1,000 to spend on all of the items you've checked. Distribute the money, assigning the most money to those items you value the most.
• Then take a few moments to observe and consider your values.

What do you value the most?

• Career
• Finances
• Health/well-being
• Friends
• Spouse/significant other
• Family/children
• Aging parents
• Learning/personal growth
• Fun, recreation, hobbies, or travel
• Creativity
• Home/garden
• Spirituality
• Happiness/fulfillment
• Peace of mind
• Communication

II. SET REALISTIC GOALS

Setting realistic goals is an integral part of making plans. When setting goals, make sure that your goals are:

• Consistent with your values.
• Specific and concrete.
• Ambitious yet achievable.
• Positive: something you're working towards, not away from. (Instead of "Stop eating junk food," for example, have your goal be "Eat more fresh food.")
• Scheduled for completion on specific dates.
• Revisited regularly to assess progress.
• Celebrated when they are achieved.

There are a variety of goal-setting techniques. Below are two examples.

Example One: Setting Goals According to Values

Make a list of your top values. Then list one to three goals for each value.

For example:

Value: Health

Goals:

• Go for a walk three times a week.
• Get at least seven hours of sleep a night.
• Drink eight glasses of water a day.

Value: Family

Goals:

• Have dinner together every night.
• Read to the children before bed.
• Go camping at least twice a year.

Value: Finances

Goals:

• Put 5% of each paycheck into savings.
• Add $50 extra to every car payment.
• Reduce weekly grocery budget by $20.

Example Two: Setting Goals According to Time Frames

Arrange your goals based on three time frames: long-term, medium-term, and short-term.

For example:

Long-term goals (one year or more):

• Receive a raise.
• Add $5,000 to savings account.
• Take a fishing trip to Idaho.

Medium-term goals (one month):

• Ask for a raise.
• Quit second job.
• Set up a new budget.

Short-term goals (one day or week):

• Update my "to do" list every morning.
• Have a green salad at dinner.
• Read a novel this weekend.

Source: The above concepts are based on the online PLS course Stress Reduction and Personal Renewal.* For more information, see "Helpful Resources" below.

Copyright 2001 Performance Learning Systems, Inc. and International Learning Center, Inc. All rights reserved.

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