GOAL SETTING, MOTIVATION, & PRIORITIES
EIU 1111: University Foundations
“Give me a stock clerk with a
goal and I’ll give you a man
who will make history. Give
me a man with no goals and
I’ll give you a stock clerk.”
 J.C. Penney
WHERE WILL YOU BE 5
YEARS FROM NOW?
YOUR PLAN FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO
BE 5 YEARS FROM NOW IS A “LONG-TERM
GOAL”
On a piece of paper, complete the following sentence:
“Five years from now, I will be …”
CHARACTERISTICS OF ATTAINABLE
GOALS
Specific
Written
Measurable
Action-Oriented (road map)
Realistic
Time-bound
Anticipates obstacles
Includes incentives
“A person without goals is like a sheep
out in the pasture just living from day
to day. You don’t want to be a
sheep.”
--Dr. Boyce Watkins, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About College
ACHIEVING A LONG-TERM GOAL IS LIKE BUILDING A
PYRAMID:
Long-term goal
Medium-range goals
Short-term goals
5 years from now
Long-term
Goals
1-2 years from now
A few months/semester
Mediumrange Goals
Short-term
Goals
ON A PIECE OF PAPER. . .
Write down 4 or 5 short-term goals that you have for this semester.
Make sure they are specific, measurable, and realistic.
ACTION PLAN
TNT Principle = Today Not Tomorrow
Daily/Weekly habits that will help you reach
your short-term goals and contribute to
your long-term goal
CREATE AN ACTION PLAN TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS
Once you meet your
short-term goals,
your mid-range
goals will follow
each more easily.
Meet
my
advisor
Create a
study
schedule
Go to
every
class
Visit
Prof’s
office
Read text
book
weekly
Review
notes
weekly
Find
a
tutor
KEEP REMINDING YOURSELF OF THE LONG TERM GOAL
YOU ARE WORKING TOWARD
Bachelor’s
Degree with
3.55 GPA
30 Credits
completed
by May
2010
Meet
my
advisor
Create a
study
schedule
3.5
GPA
by Fall
2010
Go to
every
class
As the semester or the
year ends, you will
replace short-term and
mid-range goals with
new ones.
Choose
minor
Apply for
Summer
internship
Visit
Prof’s
office
Read text
book
weekly
Review
notes
weekly
Find
a
tutor
EACH GOAL YOU REACH, BUILDS TOWARDS THE
NEXT…
Dream house—3 bedrooms, big
kitchen, deck and pool
Dream
Bachelor’s
Degree w/
3.55 GPA
Financial
Independence
Job
$90,000
Marriage & family
OBSTACLES AND ROADBLOCKS:
Take 2 minutes to write down 3 possible obstacles that
might get in the way of achieving your 5-year goal.
How much control do you have over these issues?
What can you do to eliminate or avoid these obstacles?
WHAT ARE COMMON OBSTACLES THAT YOU
MAY ENCOUNTER IN YOUR FIRST SEMESTER?
COMMON OBSTACLES
Not expecting mistakes
Blaming obstacles on your lack of abilities
Not changing your environment
Making unwise choices
Lack of persistence
Lack of commitment
Opposing desires (YOU in your own way)
Mental paralysis
MOTIVATING FACTORS
List the top 3 motivating factors in your life
INTRINSIC & EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION
Intrinsic motivation = comes from within
Extrinsic motivation = comes from external
forces (but is connected to what you
want intrinsically)
HOG: HUGE OUTRAGEOUS GOALS
 Stretch your capabilities
 Don’t settle
 Take advantage of your best efforts
 Aim high—be ambitious
A FEW HINTS TO HELP YOU STAY ON TRACK WITH
YOUR GOALS:

Remind yourself of your goals – allow yourself to dream about them.

Write them down and put where you will see them every day.

Change your short-term goals if they are not working for you.

Be realistic, but aim higher than you think you can achieve – you will usually
surprise yourself.

Make sure you understand the price of reaching your goals.

Recognize obstacles and avoid or eliminate them.
“The path to greatness is usually paved with failure. That
means that most big successes come after you have
tried over and over again and failed.”
--Dr. Boyce Watkins
Belief System  Values  Motivation  Goals
POWERFUL HABITS TO HELP YOU
REACH YOUR GOALS:
 Get up at the same time every morning
 Establish a regular schedule for yourself
 Use a to-do list or appointment calendar to
keep track of assignments and
appointments (cell phone alarms)
 Spend at least 25-30 hours a week on
schoolwork outside of class
 Study in small bits of time (not study
marathons)
 Get most of your studying done before 6:00
p.m.
GOOD HABITS CONT.
 Find a study partner and form study groups
 Stop in the professor’s office during office
hours
 Take a study skills class/workshop
 Keep up with reading assignments
 Meet with the instructor after the first exam to
learn from your mistakes.
REFERENCES
Adapted from a presentation by Pat Scheib, shared on the FYE listserv
Boyce Watkins, Black Voices, bvblackspin.com/2009/08/25/black-college-student-goalsetting/
Piscitelli, Choices