GOAL SETTING Admin Forum University of Connecticut April 9, 2019

Goal-Setting Theory Goal setting theory highlights the importance of goal setting by proposing that those who set goals for themselves are more likely to achieve success than those who do not. Researcher Edwin Locke was instrumental in proving goal-setting theory to be true, and proposing five principles for effective goal setting.

5 Principles Of Goal-Setting Theory FEEDBACK Complexity

Goals need to be clear and easily understood in order for them to be most effective.

Effective goals have a high enough level of difficulty that you actually have to push yourself in order to achieve them.

Without a high level of commitment, it’s difficult to achieve any goal, especially those that are somewhat challenging.

FEEDBACK You need to be able to receive information about how well you are progressing toward your goal. This information can be used as a motivator, or it may signal that your goal is either too easy or too challenging and needs to be adjusted.

Complexity The more complex a goal is, the more time you need to give yourself to achieve it. Good goals don’t have to be complex, but understanding how complex your goals are is an important part of planning how you will achieve them.

Good goals are not ambiguous Good goals are not ambiguous. Rather, you need to have a clear, concise goal that you can set your sights on. For example, rather than saying “I want to save money” you could say “I want to save X dollars by the end of the year to use on a down payment for a new car”. You can see how the latter example is much more specific, and, therefore, is a better goal.

Tracking the progress of your goal is an important part of keeping you motivated. It allows you to set milestones that you can celebrate when you meet them and reevaluate when you don’t. It’s a good idea, then, to always have some aspect of your goal that can be measured and evaluated.

Far too many people fall into the trap of setting impossible goals for themselves. While impossible goals may push you forward for a while, you will almost certainly end up giving up on them at some point in the future. Instead of impossible, your goals should be challenging yet achievable (realistic). Before you set a goal, make sure that you can actually envision yourself achieving it.

Not all goals are as worthwhile as others Not all goals are as worthwhile as others. Unless your goal is relevant to your overall plan for your life or your work, achieving it may not accomplish anything. In order to ensure that your goal is beneficial, make sure that it is worth your time, make sure that achieving it will provide positive benefits, and make sure that this goal aligns to at least some degree with the other goals you have.

Effective SMART goals must have a target time attached to them Effective SMART goals must have a target time attached to them. For example, rather than saying “I want to start reading more books” you could say “I want to read twelve books in the next six months”. You can see how the person who set that second goal will be much more motivated to succeed since they have a target date in mind for their goal.

Set And Achieve Goals Effectively Create a SMART Action Plan Use a Goal Planner Stay Focused with a Goal Journal Share Goals with others Celebrate small wins Revise when you fall short

SMART GOAL WORKSHEET

James R. Lowe Assistant Vice Provost, Executive Director Office of the Provost Wilbur Cross Building, Rm 202 233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4051 Storrs, CT 06269-4051 860.486.0566 www.career.uconn.edu