Setting Academic Goals
Success is a game whose kick off begins with setting a goal. The significance of a goal is colossal; it creates a mindset of possibilities. Most people as Les Brown say; “suffer from possibility blindness.” Success is only elusive to those people who avoid bothering about setting goals. Top Achievers know that before you realize your goals in real life, they have to be at first, envisioned in your mind. A goal help Top Achievers see the invisible before they become visible. They know the concept of living your life, pursuing your education and working in your career without goals, is like accepting defeat. Seneca said; To a person who does not know where he wants to go, there is no favorable wind-
It is a fact that all great awards and lasting rewards are for the goal oriented individuals, not for the goalless and dreamless. A goal clearly leads to action, which in turn yield accomplishment. A goal is one of the driving forces that sustain action.
By simply having a goal, you gain something that motivates you to achieve your desires. Your ability to attach meaning to your deepest desires results in a level of motivation that is greatly overstated but little understood: passion. This passion is a key ingredient for breeding and sustains a high level of self drive. Les Brown yet again emphasizes this when he states, “Wanting something’s not enough, you must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome obstacles that will invariably come your way.” Setting goals not only gives your life more meaning, purpose and passion, it also surely makes academics worth doing.
Goal setting affects now because it gives you something to look forward to, and that feeling is available this very moment. Because it injects creativity, promotes growth and ultimately, helps you fulfill your potential. Maurice Witzer said, “You seldom get what you go for unless you know in advance what you want” Top Achievers develop a habit of working with targets. In working with them, we have come to realize that they know and understand that.
Facts About Goal Setting
- Having academic goals creates a clear direction and purpose in life. Robert knew he wanted to be a pilot, thus he directed most of his actions at becoming the great pilot he desired to be.
- A goal brings out your potential. With a goal you are better placed to make better decisions thus become better at what you do.
- Goals make those tasks that seem hard at first be within your reach, which in turn gives you more confidence to pursue them.
- When determining your goal, be clear, what do you want to achieve? Identify your passions and determine a clear path on how to achieve them.
- Write down your goal, if you have the discipline to write your goals down, the same discipline to follow through the realization of the goal will follow. always write clear, precise and achievable goals using positive words, it will give you psych to pursue them
- Post your goal in strategic places, doing so will keep what is important to you on your mind at all times. Robert wrote down his goal. This assisted him focus
- Take action on your goals with diligence. Update your goal as you achieve them.
Well chosen goals take you out of your comfort zone and present you with the best opportunity for growth. It activates your inner motivation: The word motivation is derived from the Latin verb movere which, means to move. Activating your inner motivation is the process where an individual initiates and sustain a goal-directed activity. To activate your inner motivation means to have a specific aim that is strong enough to move you into action at the right time and in the right way. Most people who fail to achieve excellence in their lives have either an inactive or mediocre inner motivation.
An active inner motivation is the kind that leads to a continuous commitment to success and most successful students have it.
Having a self drive requires conscious effort. Dormancy and inertness are habits or skills practiced unconsciously by people who have embraced mediocrity. Individuals with a self drive never wait for the proper mood to start a thing, nor until the spirit moves them. Their own motivation makes their own mood, makes their own spirit. How? Lack of motivation means rare moment meaningful action, this hardly generates action.
To become an intrinsically motivated individual, one needs to focus on valuing performance. People who have developed a self drive set short-term goals and long-term goals to guide and remind them of the activities they have to take and how to take them.
In the process of achieving the goals set, one needs to be, self-determined and perseverant. This is made possible when there is an activated inner motivation. W. Clement Stone noted:
“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” When things don’t work out, an individual with self drive realizes that he/she needs to improve his/her strategies and make more efforts but not blame self for lack of ability. His /her burning desire motivates them to work on it. Motivation drives people to act. The level of one’s motivation will determine the quality of their actions. The higher the level, the higher the quality shall be. An activated inner motivation nurtures the spirit of excellence.
All of the above can simply be summed up by this quote from Brian Tracy: ‘People who do not have goals are doomed to work forever for those who do.’
A goal is a measurable set of anticipated results whose achievement is desired. A goal guides your action plan and sets a clear deadline; Napoleon Hill was right when he defined a goal simply as; “A dream with a deadline.” Attaining self drive and Academic excellence should be your goal. There is power in knowing what you want out of your academic pursuits and committing yourself to achieving it. All self driven are consistent goal setters who don’t leave their success to chance.
Take a student by the name Robert for example; he always wanted to be a pilot but not just any pilot, but a fine, young and well respected pilot. When he secured an admission to his dream High School, Robert was highly delighted. He started introducing himself as ‘Captain Robert’ to the other students. This was a projection of his desire.
His classmates didn’t understand why he had to introduce himself as “Captain Robert.” They mocked him as a dreamer; his teachers felt that he was a little bit over himself. This however, did not deter Robert; he went further and made a huge poster with the words; “Captain Robert” emblazoned on it. Robert knew he wanted to be a pilot, thus he started introducing himself ‘CAPTAIN ROBERT’.
When you don’t achieve your goals, try, try and try some more until when you achieve it. Don’t kill or shift your goals, shift the way you act to realize the goal. Thomas Edison tried to create a light bulb for so long without success, with persistence, he finally lit one, when asked what kept him going despite failing many times, he responded, “I did not fail many times, instead I discovered many ways that cannot make a light bulb.”
Make academic excellence you ultimate goal in school and you will be astounded by what you can do.
