Well, it has been a while since I wrote a blog entry. I have been focusing on getting my YouTube channel going and a new Paragraph Writing course that should soon be ready to send out to students.
I will keep you updated!
For the moment, I want to write a little bit about Goal Setting.
Goal setting is an excellent idea.
If done properly, it can be a real motivator and help you attain the things you want in school and in life.
Done improperly, goal setting can be frustrating and counter-productive. In other words, you might be wasting your time!
Here are a few tips for setting goals:
- Set realistic goals. There is absolutely no sense in setting goals that are not attainable within a reasonable time frame. You will only frustrate yourself. Now, you can have long-term goals which are larger – and if your goal is really really big – let’s call those dreams.
- Write down your goals. Keeping a written record will help you stay focused. Keep your list of goals (short-term and long-term) in a place you can access frequently.
- Long-term goals should have short-term goals attached. Maybe you want to become a famous chef with your own television show, cookbooks, and fans around the globe. That’s fine (perhaps slightly in the “dream” category, but that’s okay), but how are you going to get there? The short-term goals are the path to this ultimate achievement.
If you set realistic, attainable goals for the near future, you will be able to “check off” the steps you have taken to reaching those longer and larger goals.
This will make you feel empowered and ever more motivated to keep moving in the right direction.
A lot of students think they should not bother putting too much effort into their next essay or their next test because on previous occasions they haven’t achieve an A+.
Well, that is no reason not to set more realistic goals. If your math grade last year / semester / term was a C-, then an A+ is not a reasonable goal. I’m not saying that it is entirely unattainable; however, setting such a large goal at first will likely be a disappointment.
Set yourself a goal of getting a C+ on the next test, perhaps a slightly longer goal of getting into the B’s for the term or year (if still early in the session) and work toward that.
Once the goal is set to raise your grade – set a few goals that will help you get there. For example, you can plan an hour each night to focus on that particular course – review notes (check) – practice a few questions (check) – look ahead to the next unit (check) – ask questions of the teacher or other students (check) – etc.
Each time you check off the steps you made each day and each week, you will feel yourself moving in the right direction and “getting somewhere.”
So, don’t give up on setting goals and making an effort to reach them, but DO be sensible in your approach.
You can set yourself up for success!
Here is a link to my YouTube video on goal setting. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, or leave a comment if you wish. My channel is just getting started – lot’s more to come. (Yes, I am setting goals, too.)
YouTube Video: Goal Setting
Website: www.tutoringcentral.com
