Goal setting for success for today's college students

One important way that college students can start doing this is to set aside time to set goals. I recently heard from a student in one of my communication classes. I was delighted to hear that this goal-oriented, determined student had achieved his educational dreams. He completed his associate's degree and plans to complete his bachelor's and graduate degrees. The success of today's college students can be seen not only in their dreams and ambitions, but also in the goals they set for themselves. Part of the reason for failing to persist in college is a lack of goal-setting habits.

Review your goals at the beginning of each semester. College students should use this opportunity to review their goals at the beginning of each new semester. Students should review both short-term and long-term goals. A student may have a short-term goal of improving the grades they earn in class. A long-term goal might be to review progress toward completing an associate or bachelor's degree.

Write down your goals. Those familiar with goal setting recognize that a goal that is not written down is just a wish. Our brains constantly forget information. Within six to eight months of graduating from college, students will forget 80 percent of what they heard in class. Students who set mental goals may soon forget them. It only takes a few minutes to sit down in front of a laptop and jot down some short- and long-term goals. Set an appointment in the future to review goals. The beginning of the semester is the ideal time to review goals, but they can be reviewed at any time.

Setting goals for college success has several benefits. Goals are a GPS destination to reach your current college program and your entire college experience. By reviewing your goals, you can brainstorm the best ways to reach them. The best assessment of your goals is to measure your progress toward accomplishing them. Many goal setters create rewards for achieving their goals.

List your daily goals. Many students make a daily list of things they need to accomplish at the end of the day. Unfortunately, we tend to focus on the easiest items on our "to do" list. You can't say "yes" to an important goal unless you say "no" to an unimportant goal. I remember one student who had two items on his "to do" list, eat lunch and complete a persuasive speech. Not surprisingly, the student made sure he was fed first.

Brainstorming is an important part of the goal-setting process. Goal setting starts with brainstorming, listing small goals and long-term goals. The next step is to prioritize your goals. The most important short-term goals are those items that need immediate attention. The student mentioned earlier achieved greater success in college by prioritizing speech assignments higher than eating. This can be difficult for some students because they are afraid to give presentations. But procrastination only creates more problems for students. Delaying presentation preparation may result in little time for rehearsal. Without rehearsal time, students will feel more nervous on the day of the presentation.

Successful goal setting also involves managing your time. When you set a goal, think about how long it will take to accomplish it. Short-term goals can be set weekly or biweekly, while long-term goals may focus on projects and activities that will take a year or more to complete.

Successful goal-setters understand tried-and-true strategies. When achieving your goals, keep the following strategies in mind.

* Prioritize your goals based on your current course schedule.

*Make sure your goals include significant time set aside for tutoring or group work

*Don't forget to write down your goals

*Remember the PMA-have a positive mindset about your goals and your ability to accomplish them.

*Avoid general or ambiguous goals. Be clear about what you want to accomplish.

*Visibility is important in the goal setting process. Don't hide your goals in a dresser drawer. The best place to put your goals is where you can see them - for many students, the best place is on the refrigerator.

*There is a cliché that says, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."