SETTING GOALS

FOR SUCCESS
This explains the importance of goals and the different theories that
are instrumental in the achievement of goals. The Self Efficacy
Theory by Albert Bandura includes the belief in one's effectiveness in
performing specific tasks. It also presents the Theory of Mindset by
Carol Dweck which presents the difference between the fixed and
growth mindset. The Theory of Goal Setting by Locke and Latham
introduces how goals are crucial in the formulation of success.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF GOALS

Begin with the end in mind. – Stephen Covey

• How often do you set goals? How often do you revisit your list? We all know that setting goals is
important, but we often don’t realize how important they are as we continue to move through life.

• Effective goals motivate and inspire us, increase success rate, focus us, and reduce frustration.
An effective goal setting process helps us understand where we currently are, helps us choose
where we want to go, and assess the best steps to take to reach our ultimate outcome goals.
What is a Goal?

According to Wikipedia, A goal is an idea of the future or desired

result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and
commit to achieve.
A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or aim, the anticipated
result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either
a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value.
 Types of Goals
Outcome goals (Results). Outcomes goals are specific and spell out
the results you hope to achieve in the end. E.g., a high school student
may set an outcome goal to become a doctor. That goal means that
she would have to take exams and compete with other students over
few spots into medical school. While you can study hard, you don’t
grade your exams. While you can prepare well for your interviews, you
don’t choose yourself. As such, with most outcome goals, you can take
steps that influence the outcome in your favor but the results are
ultimately not under your control.
Process goals (Behaviors). Process goals (also called procedural
goals) are the behaviors or the strategies that will help us to
perform well and increase our chances of achieving our desired
outcome goals. It’s the goal that sets the path to an outcome goal.
E.g. The process goal for losing weight may include reducing
calories, riding your bicycle, and drinking lots of water. Process
goals are particularly helpful for weight loss because they help you
focus on changing behaviors and habits that are necessary for
losing weight. A nice thing about process goals is that they are
within our control.
Performance goals (Standards). Performance goals set
the standards at which we will perform our process goals. This is
focused on results. Performance goals are actually the results you
produce that affect the bottom line. Meeting your performance
goals on your process goals is the surest way to achieve your
outcome goals. E.g. the performance goals for losing weight based
on the process goals above may be to lose weight by eating 1200
calories a day or less, riding my bike for 30 minutes 5 times per
week, and drinking 3 liters of water at per day for a period of one
month.
Why is goal setting
important?

1.Goals give you focus in life

2.Goals allow you to measure your progress
3.Goals Keep You Locked In And Undistracted
4.Goals Help You Overcome Procrastination
Goals Give You Motivation
 SELF-EFFICACY
Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your
words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits
become your values. Your values become your destiny.

Self-efficacy is the belief in one's effectiveness in performing specific tasks.

Self-efficacy is one of the most enabling psychology models to have been
adopted into positive psychology. It is the optimistic self-belief in our
competence or chances of successfully accomplishing a task and producing
a favorable outcome.
 4 Ways to Build Self-Efficacy
According to Albert Bandura, the fore runner of Self-Efficacy Theory, evidences four ways to develop
self-efficacy across the breadth of his research.
Mastery Experiences
Bandura (2008) argues that the most effective way to build self-efficacy is through mastery
experiences.
There is no better way to start believing in one’s ability to succeed than to set a goal, persist through
challenges on the road to goal-achievement, and enjoy the satisfying results. Once a person has done
this enough time, they will come to believe that sustained effort and perseverance through adversity
will serve a purpose in the end; belief in one’s ability to succeed will grow.
In contrast, regularly achieving easy success with little effort can lead people to expect rapid results,
which can result in their being easily discouraged by failure (Bandura, 2008).
Social Modeling
Another way that a person can build self-efficacy is by witnessing
demonstrations of competence by people who are similar to them
(Bandura, 2008). In this scenario, the person witnessing the
display of competence perceives aspects of their own identity in
the actor. That is, the actor may be of a similar age, ethnic
background, sexuality, or gender as the observer (Bandura,
1997).
The observer, who witnesses the actor’s success through
dedicated efforts, will be inspired to believe that they, too, can
achieve their goals.
Social Persuasion
When a person is told that they have what it takes to succeed,
they are more likely to achieve success. In this way, self-efficacy
becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (Eden & Zuk, 1995).
While not as powerful as mastery for strengthening self-efficacy
(Bandura, 2008), being told by someone we trust that we possess
the capabilities to achieve our goals will do more for us than
dwelling on our deficiencies.
Therefore, a good mentor can boost self-efficacy not only through
role-modeling but by serving as a trusted voice of
encouragement. 
States of Physiology
Lastly, our emotions, moods, and physical states influence how
we judge our self-efficacy (Kavanagh & Bower, 1985).
According to Bandura (2008), it is harder to feel assured of our
ability to succeed when we feel weariness and a low mood. This
is especially true if we perceive these emotional and physiological
states to be indicative of our incompetence, vulnerability, or
inability to achieve a goal.
Introspection and education can prevent these physical states
from being interpreted negatively. For example, when
experiencing a personal or work-related failure, people
can practice self-compassion.
 MINDSET
According to Carol Dweck, individuals can be placed on a continuum
according to their implicit views of where ability comes from. Some
believe their success is based on innate ability while others believe
their success is based on hard work, learning, training and
doggedness.
 Types of Mindset

The Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence, talents and other
abilities are set at birth. It is the belief that a person is born with a
particular set of skills and that can not be changed.

If you have a fixed mindset, you will likely fear that you may not be
smart or talented enough to achieve your goals . You may hold
yourself back by engaging only in activities that you know you can
do well.
The Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that, with effort, perseverance and

drive, a person can develop natural qualities.

If you have a growth mindset, you can develop your own skills ,

abilities, talents, and even intelligence through your experiences,
training and effort.
Fixed-mindset individuals dread failure because it is a negative
statement on their basic abilities, while growth mindset individuals
don't mind or fear failure as much because they realize their
performance can be improved and learning comes from failure.
These two mindsets play an important role in all aspects of a
person's life. Dweck argues that the growth mindset will allow a
person to live a less stressful and more successful life.
In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their
intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain
amount and that's that, and then their goal becomes to look smart
all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students
understand that their talents and abilities can be developed
through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't
necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein,
but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it
(Dweck, 2006)
 GOAL SETTING
The Goal Setting Theory states that goal setting is essentially linked
to task performance. It states that specific and challenging goals
along with appropriate feedback contribute to higher and better task
performance. (Locke, 1968)

The simple act of setting an effective goal gives you a better chance
of realizing that goal. According to Edwin Locke and Gary Latham,
several principles are crucial to setting effective goals.
Effective goal-setting principles:
1.Clarity. A clear, measurable goal is more achievable than one that is poorly defined. In
other words, be specific! The most effective goals have a specific timeline for completion.

2.Challenge. The goal must have a decent level of difficulty in order to motivate you to strive
toward the goal.

3.Commitment. Put deliberate effort into meeting this goal. Share your goal with someone
else in order to increase your accountability to meet that goal.

4.Feedback. Set up a method to receive information on your progress toward a goal. If losing
30 pounds in four months turns out to be too hard, it is better to adjust the difficulty of your
goal mid-way through the timeline than to give up entirely.

5.Task complexity. If a goal is especially complex, make sure you give yourself enough time
to overcome the learning curve involved in completing the task. In other words, if a goal is
really tough, make sure you give yourself some padding to give you the best chance at
succeeding.
How to Set the Right Goals

Here are some guidelines on setting effective goals. Research

supports the value of SMART goals which
are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-specific.
Make your goals specific. The more specific a goal is, the
easier it will be to focus on it and take the necessary action to
accomplish it. For example, a goal such as “I will study more” is
rather vague. “I will study every day between 2 and 4 PM in my
office” is specific and provides you with an actionable plan.
Set measurable goals. Another criterion that makes a goal
useful is that you can measure it. “I’ll do better” is not really
measurable. If you set a goal to study a certain number of hours
or to raise your exam score to a particular level, however, you
have something concrete to aim for.
Keep your goals attainable and realistic. If you set goals that
are overly ambitious, you’re setting yourself up for failure. For
example, if you currently devote two hours per week to studying,
a goal of studying for 10 hours per week is probably not realistic.
Start by increasing it to 3 or 4 hours.
Time-specific. When you’re studying, you need to keep to a
tight schedule. Make sure your goals are consistent with your
academic calendar and your other responsibilities.
Set long-term and short-term goals. In addition to setting
SMART goals, it’s good to have goals that are both short and
long-term. A long-term goal might be to find a job in your chosen
field. “I’m going to become a veterinary nurse” would be a long-
term goal. You should also have short-term goals such as “I’m
going to finish this unit by Friday evening at 8PM.”
 How to Stay on Track with Your Goals
Setting goals is an essential first step towards greater academic success.
However, many people start off with the best of intentions but abandon their
goals. There are many distractions that can get in the way. Here are some
ways to stay focused on your goals.

Take consistent action on your goals. When you take action, you remind
your brain to move towards your goal. Even small symbolic actions can help.
For example, clearing off your desk so it’s a more organized study area can
help you feel more motivated.
Write down your goals. Research indicates that people who
write down their goals are 33% more likely to achieve them.
Revisit your goals frequently. The mind works more efficiently
when you repeat instructions. One reason it’s useful to write down
your goals is that you can read them to yourself daily. It’s also
helpful, however, to repeat them to yourself mentally or even in
conversations with others.
Set new goals when appropriate. Goals don’t need to be set in
stone. You don’t want to abandon a goal just because it’s
challenging. However, you may find that as you gain experience
you need to revise a goal. For example, you may need to adjust
your goals regarding study hours based on your results and other
responsibilities.