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With Thanksgiving behind us, we’re in the tough part of the semester where there are a million things to do, deadlines are looming, and we would all rather be drinking hot chocolate by the fire than thinking about work or school. It can be challenging to stay motivated during this part of the semester, but at the same time, the last few weeks are a crucial time to end the year strong. One great way to stay motivated in the last few weeks of the semester is to set clear goals for yourself. This blog post outlines some tips for setting goals during this time frame that will help you stay motivated and on track as the holiday season approaches.
When setting any goal, the most important thing to know is where you currently are. If your goal is around grades, it’s important to know exactly what your grades are at this present moment. If your goal is around turning in all missing work, take stock of how many missing assignments you have in each class and what they are. Before determining a reasonable goal for the end of the semester, it’s essential to have a clear and accurate picture of where you are to decide on a reasonable goal for where you want to be.
Once you take stock of where you are, it’s important to think about your long-term goals and how far off you are from these goals. If your overall goal is to have A’s and B’s, how close are you to achieving that goal at this present time? If your long-term goal is around getting into college or following a specific career path, think about how on track you are to achieving these goals at the present moment. If you are quite on track, you might consider setting a goal that is centered around maintaining progress. If you feel far off from your long term goal, set a goal that is aimed at pushing yourself in the right direction, while still being achievable to set you up for success.
The time frame until the end of the semester is fairly short, ranging somewhere between two and three weeks for most students. With this time frame in mind, be sure to set a goal that is achievable within this time window. If you are currently missing an entire semester’s worth of assignments, you probably can’t get them all done in the time frame. Instead, you might consider making a list of the most important ones and committing to getting them done. If your goal is around bringing a certain grade up, consider the work that would need to be done to get your grade there and how much time this work will take. Setting a goal that is ambitious yet achievable is the best way to stay motivated and find success.
When setting a goal, it’s important to be as specific as possible to help keep yourself motivated and understand your own progress toward achieving your goal. “Bring my science grade up” is not as powerful of a goal as “bring my science grade up to a 90.” Consider a goal that is both specific and measurable to allow you to have complete clarity around your progress toward achievement. While it can be tempting to avoid specificity to avoid being disappointed, a specific goal that causes you to push yourself will always be more motivating than one that allows for resting on your laurels.
While it’s important to set goals that are achievable, motivating goals also require hard work. For this reason, it’s important to set a goal that feels just a bit ambitious. Think about what you could accomplish if you really work hard, rather than the bare minimum. If you set a goal that does not require hard work, the likelihood of remaining motivated and feeling pride at the end are fairly low. Working hard toward an ambitious goal will create a greater sense of pride and accomplishment both as you are moving toward your goal and when you finally achieve it. Even if you fall short, you are much more likely to be proud of your hard work and progress if you set an ambitious goal.
While the satisfaction of hard work and a job well done is a wonderful reward, establishing an additional celebration or reward ahead of time is a great way to stay motivated to achieve your goal. The types of rewards that are motivating to different people can vary greatly. Perhaps it’s around waiting to partake in a certain tradition or watch a certain movie until your goal is achieved. Perhaps it’s about ordering your favorite dinner or buying your favorite snack. You might set up a plan to go for a celebratory coffee with friends once you’ve achieved your goal. Having some sort of pre-planned celebration, especially one that involves others, can help keep you both accountable and motivated when attempting to achieve a goal. If you tell your friends “we’re going for pizza on the 22nd if I earn a 90 in science,” you will now have an exciting activity to look forward to and a group of friends equally excited to celebrate your success.
While setting goals might seem like a simple task, establishing the right goals that are both realistic and motivating is a learned skill. Many teenagers struggle with setting goals and therefore struggle to find motivation to complete tasks, despite wanting to be successful. If your child needs support in determining their goals and making plans to achieve them, consider Success Coaching for your child. Our approach emphasizes getting to know your child as an individual and developing supports that will work for their unique needs. Contact us today to learn more.
Having a conversation is the first step to helping your child realize their full potential and set them up for success!