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Course Code and Title: GE 101 – Understanding the Self

Lesson Number: Lesson 15 (Week 16)
Topic: Setting Goals for Success
INTRODUCTION:
Success does not happen. It is not enough to have goals or ambitions. Success is the outcome of
hard work and determination that must be shaped over a long process, Abraham Maslow and others
have pioneered studies on needs, goals, and motivation. This chapter lays down the theories that
have been useful in helping people understand their goals and motivations as well as the needs and
challenges that they face in their life journey to success.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the types of motivation;
 Determine your short-term and long-term goals;
 Recognize the importance of goal-setting; and
 Apply ways on how to achieve your goals.
PRE-ASSESSMENT:
Identify whether the following statements is True or False.
1. ____ A goal is the object toward which the behavior is directed, usually within an indefinite
period of time.
2. ____ Values are those which the person considers personally important and worthy.

3. ____ Bandura developed the theory of hierarchy of needs presented in the shape of a
pyramid with the biological or physiological needs at the bottom and the need for self-
actualization at the top.
4. ____ According to Maslow, self-efficacy plays a central role in people's thoughts, motivations,
and actions.

LESSON PRESENTATION:

If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being,
you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.
- Abraham Maslow
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GOALS

Motivation directs a person's behavior toward a particular goal. A goal is the object toward which the
behavior is directed, usually within a specified period of time. Within the context of
industrial/organizational psychology, goal is defined simply as what the individual is consciously
trying to do. For Edwin Locke and Gary Latham (2006), goals direct attention, effort, and actions.
Goals motivate people to develop strategies that will enable them to perform better. Accomplishing
the goal can lead to satisfaction and higher motivation, or frustration and lower motivation if the goal
is not accomplished. Goals can be classified two categories: short-term goals and long-term goals.
Generally, short-term goals are those that can be achieved in a day, of year while long-term goals
are usually achieved over a year or more.

FACTORS WHICH MAY INFLUENCE GOALS

Values give direction to behavior. Values are those which the person considers personally important
and worthy. They could be the basis for what is desirable, correct, and good. Individuals act in ways
that allow them to express their important values and attain the goals underlying them (Sagiv,
Roccas, Cieciuch, & Schwartz, 2017).

Needs also activate and direct behavior. Motivation is usually aroused by a need for or lack of
something that may propel a person to act. According to drive-reduction theory, humans are
motivated to satisfy needs in order to maintain homeostasis or internal equilibrium (Atkinson,
Atkinson, Smith, Bem, & Nolen- Hoeksema, 2000). Unmet needs will cause a state of bodily tension
and, consequently, homeostasis is disturbed. There are two classifications of needs: physiological
and psychological needs. Physiological needs are innate needs of the body such as food, water, air,
sleep, and sex. Psychological needs arise from relationship with other people such as affiliation,
achievement, altruism, esteem, and status.

The theory of psychologist Abraham Maslow suggests how needs motivate behavior. Maslow
developed the theory of hierarchy of needs presented in the shape of a pyramid with the biological
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or physiological needs at the bottom and the need for self-actualization at the top. Once the
biological needs are satisfied, safety or security needs become important, such as the need to be
safe from danger, illness, and threat. Once these needs are met, individuals may be able to achieve
love and fulfill the need for belonging. Eventually, individuals can achieve self-esteem and realize
self-actualization. Self-esteem includes being accepted, respected, and valued by others. Self-
actualization refers to self- fulfillment or achievement of one's potentialities. A student may satisfy
the need for self-actualization by striving to get a high grade and becoming a better student

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

THE MOTIVATIONAL IMPACT OF SELF EFFICACY AND MINDSET

The motivational impact of goals may be affected by moderators such as self-efficacy and mindset.
Psychologist Albert Bandura defines self-efficacy as the person's belief that he/she can successfully
perform behaviors that will produce desired effects (Engler, 2012). Self-efficacy entails judgment of
personal capacity. It plays a central role in people's thoughts, motivations, and actions. Bandura
suggests that efficacy beliefs influence students' academic performance.
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According to Psychologist Carol Dweck (2008), there are two categories of mindset-fix mindset and
growth mindset. People with fixed mindset believe that their basic qualities, like their intelligence or
talents, are simply fixed traits. Students of fixed mindset worry about making mistakes. Those with
growth mindset, in turn, believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication
and hard work. Students with a growth mindset understand that mistakes and effort are critical to
learning. They welcome challenges and seek critical feedback to help them learn. They embrace
learning, mistakes, and effort in a way that promotes their achievement. Research has shown that
mindset is related to student's self-confidence and motivation

GOAL SETTING

In the context of industrial/organizational (1/0) psychology, goal setting is the process of improving
work performance of individuals (Locke & Latham, 2006). For goal setting to be most successful,
goals should be SMART-specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART
embodies the fundamental practices necessary for achieving increased motivation (Rubin, 2002).
Individuals perform at higher levels when asked to meet a goal that is concrete, achievable and
realistic, and important to them. Goals also work best when there is a time frame for their completion
(Aamodt, 2013). Locke and Latham (Lunenburg, 2011) suggest that the most effective performance
results are attained when goals are specific and challenging, when there is feedback on the results,
when they are used to evaluate performance, and when they create commitment and acceptance.

THE RULES OF GOAL-SETTING

 Set goals that motivate you. When you set your goals, it is important that they are personally
important to you.
 Set SMART goals. Your goals must be clear and well defined so that you can measure the
degree of your success. Be sure that your goals are attainable and personally relevant to you.
Your goals must also have a time frame.
 Write your life goals. Make a chart and write a list of all the goals you want to achieve.
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Prioritize the items on the list, discard those unimportant, and make space for all the
important and urgent activities you want to do such as studying your lessons.
 Develop an action plan for your future. Write the steps to attain your life goals.
 Start working toward your life goals.
SUMMARY:

Motivation directs a person’s behavior toward a particular goal. A goal is the object toward which the
behavior is directed, usually within a specified period of time.

There are two classifications of needs: physiological and psychological needs. Physiological needs
are innate needs of the body while psychological needs arise from relationships with other people.

Maslow developed the theory of hierarchy of needs. He suggests that human needs are arranged in
a hierarchy with the biological needs at the bottom and the need for self-actualization at the top.

Psychologists Albert Bandura defines self-efficacy as the people’s belief that they can successfully
perform behaviors that will produce desired effects.

According to Psychologist Carol Dweck, there are two categories of mindset: fixed mindset and
growth mindset.

APPLICATION # 15:
You may browse your notes and module to aid in answering the following activity.

Self-assessment – Identification/Essay (30 points)

Instruction: Accomplish the following table regarding your day-to-day short-term goals, then, answer
the questions about your long-term goal.

Write your to-do list in a regular school week.

Day AM PM

Sunday
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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Long-term goal

a. Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?

b. Measurable: How would you if you have achieved your goal?
c. Attainable: What resources can you use to achieve your goal? What needs to be done to
achieve your goal?
d. Relevant: Why is the goal important to your life?
e. Time-bound: When will you achieve your goal?

ACTIVITY/EVALUATION # 15:
This is a closed module activity. Please observe honesty.

Identification (1 point each – 10 points)

Instruction: Identify what is asked in each given statement.
Time limit: 10 minutes

1. _______________ are states that activate a person toward a goal.

2. Maslow suggest that people have a hierarchy of needs, the lowest is the need for
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_______________.
3. According to Carol Dweck, there are two categories of mindset: _______________ and
growth mindset.
4. _______________ is the process of improving work performance.
5. _______________ entails judgment of personal capacity.
6. _______________ is the need for self-fulfillment.
7. _______________ is the object toward which the behavior is directed.
8. _______________ is the need to be accepted and valued by others.
9. Goals should possess the characteristics represented by the acronym _______________.
10. _______________ is the maintenance of internal equilibrium.

REINFORCEMENT/ASSIGNMENT # 15:
You may browse your notes and module to aid in answering the following activity.

Critical thinking – Essay (15 points)

Instruction: In not more than 5 sentences for each number, write an essay guided by the
following question.

1. Do you think it is possible to achieve self-actualization?

2. Cite the relationships of the needs according to Abraham Maslow.
3. How do they affect each other? Give an example for each need and relate it to your own
experiences.

REMINDER:
 Do advance reading of module # 16 in Understanding the Self entitled Taking Charge of
One’s Health.

ONLINE RESOURCE:
 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
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REFERENCE:
 Go-Monilla, M.J. & Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing, Inc.