How to set yourself up for success

Goal setting is great for helping you figure out what you want your future to look like and working towards those goals, but it can be daunting.  

I talked to Sana Hyder and Kausha Patel, both peer learning facilitators in the Academic Support Centre, to see if they had any tips that could help me to set better goals and actually go through with achieving them.

How is goal setting beneficial while in school?

Goal setting is beneficial because it helps students stay on track of their work. Students are able to gauge their progress and accomplishments, which essentially increases their motivation and self-confidence, and pushes them even further to succeed. When students are able to clearly envision what they want to achieve, they are more likely to take the necessary steps to ensure that their goals are met. Essentially, goal setting in school has many benefits, things like better grades, less stress and an overall better sense of self!

What is the best way to set goals?

A very effective way to set goals is at three levels. Students should set long-term, medium-term and short-term goals. Additionally, students can formulate their goals using the SMARTR method. This method increases the likelihood of students achieving their goals as opposed to setting general goals which often lack focus. SMARTR goals are specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, timely and include a reward.

What is a personal goal that you are working on?

A personal goal that I am working on is getting my G license! I am building up my self-confidence by practicing with my dad every two weeks and hope to have my license by the end of the summer.  

Do you think that more students should set goals?

We definitely think that more students should set goals because it enables them to be more organized and it drives motivation. With a written plan of what students want to accomplish, they will be more likely to actually work on these aspirations. Also, when setting goals for themselves, students are holding themselves accountable and likely take the steps to ensure that their goal is accomplished. Setting goals is a great way to lessen stress and anxiety because it allows one to acknowledge what they want to accomplish.

What are the different kinds of goals that you can set?

Besides academic goals, there are many different kinds of goals that can be set. For example, one may set fitness goals, family/relationship goals, financial goals, workplace-related goals – the list goes on.

Inspired by Sana and Kausha, I decided to set my own SMARTR goal. I’m currently reading Homo Deus by  Yuval Noah Harari and I’ve been trying to get through it for over a month.

My SMARTR goal is to read pages 157-208 from March 23-24 and annotate the book as I go. My reward is to buy Sour Peach candy. I think that this SMARTR goal will help me make my way through the book faster and getting candy as a reward will definitely help to motivate me more.

Whether you need help with goal setting, or figuring out your classes, the Academic Support Centre can help you. They even have this handy  (PDF file) worksheet to help you get started on your goal setting path.

Ask me how my goals are going or tell me yours on Twitter via @msavestheworld (external link)  or @RyersonFCS (external link) .