As we approach mid-February, we hope our Worcester State students have determined their game plan for their 2019 goals. However, if you’re still a little lost as to how to most effectively set your goals, not to worry! The staff of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development (OSILD) is here to help!
Each of the staff members of the OSILD team have their own unique perspective on goal-setting. They’ve taken the time to share their approach with the hopes that this might help you develop a unique goal-setting approach of your own.
Bookkeeper, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development
When thinking of goal-setting, Christine keeps the following in mind:
Attainable: “It is great to dream big, but sometimes it is better to set smaller goals that will build up to that dream goal,” Christine says. “If the goal is too large, you may get lost, frustrated, or lose interest. Setting a smaller goal will give you a sense of accomplishment and the courage to continually go to the next step.”
Personal Connection: “It has to be something you want or desire,” Christine says. “Do things for you and the end reward will be worth it. If you set goals based off of what others are doing or someone’s expectation of you, then you once again may lose the focus or desire to do your best.”
Deadline: “Never leave something with an open-ended deadline because life gets in the way and the goal you are setting might not become the priority anymore.” Christine says. “Setting a deadline holds you accountable and helps you complete your goal to start a new one.”
Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development
“When I’m working towards a goal, I find that the best thing to do is break it into smaller pieces,” Sarah says. “That way I’m not intimated by the goal that I’ve set for myself, and can see the manageable steps I need to take to get there.
“By creating smaller pieces and spreading them out, I can ensure that I am consistently working towards my final result.”
Administrative Staff, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development
“When I set a goal, there is no way I can go at it by myself,” Colleen says. “I consider what I’m trying to accomplish and then develop an accountability team.”
“Sometimes that team is my family. Other times it’s a virtual team, but either way I know I need that support and encouragement.”
“I find I am most effective at goal-setting when I start big picture,” Jess says. “What are some of my life goals? Then I narrow down 2-3 goals I want to focus on for the year. Those three goals turn into my 3 themes for the year.”
“Then each month, I sit down and write monthly goals for each of my 3 themes,” Jess says. “I block out time each week to work on my monthly goals. I use a physical planner because I like to write and cross things out once a task has been completed.”
“I have a separate small notebook for each of my 3 yearly themes to keep all tasks and ideas for each theme in one place,” Jess says.
Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development
“I find it helpful to revisit my initial list of written goals on a regular basis and update my progress on where I am at with that particular goal within the same document,” Kristie says. “It helps me figure out next steps to achieve the goal.
“I also feel a sense of accomplishment when I have actually completed a goal,” Kristie says. “It is important to keep track of your progress.”
So, what’s your plan for reaching your goals? Everyone has their own unique strategy to make their dreams happen. Whatever approach you take, we here in the Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development believe in you!
Cheers to a year of reaching our goals!
Sincerely,
The Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development
