Would you like to know the secret to set SMART goals to achieve academic success? I am sure, we all love to hear secrets that can help us become successful in life.
Growing up, we all heard our teachers and parents advising us to set goals to achieve our targets. But no one actually taught us how to set achievable goals to improve the quality of our life, both personally and professionally.
So, we thought to help you get clarity on what are goals, setting achievable SMART goals, and achieving academic success.
What Are Goals?
Simply put, a goal is a target or future idea that someone wants to achieve within a set timeframe. Goals can be both professional and personal, long-term and short-term. It depends on which area of our life we desire to improve in the present moment. Depending upon our requirements, we can set daily, weekly or monthly goals. Setting goals is not easy. You have to understand what you desire, how badly you desire it, and how much time you are ready to devote to achieving your goals every day.
What Is Goal Setting? Why Is It Important To Set Goals?
Intelligibly goal setting is a practice of identifying a plan or purpose you want to accomplish, putting it into small achievable steps, and reviewing your growth on a daily/weekly basis.
Difference Between Long-Term and Short-Term Goals
A long-term goal can be generic, and may depend on external factors to make it achievable. The time to accomplish such goals varies from 3 to 20 years.
A short-term goal is specified, precise, and easily achievable in 3 to 6 months.
What Are SMART Goals?
Goal setting experts suggest that goals become achievable, by strategically designing them as SMART goals. Considered the best kind of goals, these goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-Bound
Specific: You must clearly define your goal. Be as precise and definite about what you want to achieve.
Measurable: To set effective goals, you need to attach a unit, number, or figure to your goals.
Attainable: Understand if the goal you intend to set is achievable on the basis of your skill, potential, time, money, and other factors, if any.
Realistic: Be clear that the goal you are setting is not just wishful thinking. It should be practical and obtainable.
Time-Bound: An intent becomes a goal when it is not a fantasy or imagination. So, when you set a goal, it is important to commit a date of completion. Self-disciple is the key to attaining goals in the specified deadlines.
Steps On How To Set SMART Goals to Achieve Academic Success
Here are simple steps to help you create your smart goal weekly study planners.
- Define your goal clearly. Clarity is critical to set a goal.
- Be sure to be specific – what do you want? Why do you want? How much time do you require achieving what you want?
- Write a goal that’s measurable.
- Set a time period that makes your goal achievable – how much do you plan to finish daily to complete your course in a week?
- Set well-designed realistic goals that align with your ambition and action. It should not be fantasy thinking.
- Time-Bound: Set goals specified with deadlines. Working towards goals under deadlines helps improve performance.
- Support System: When we make goals, it is essential to have someone push us and hold us accountable if we are not taking specific measurable actions to fulfil our academic goals. I recommend having a support system in place. It could be your coach, a mentor, your parent, sibling, friend, or colleague who can back you up.
- At the end of every week, review your growth. What are your learnings from this week’s goal setting? Do you need to improve or make certain changes to your weekly academic planner?
- Celebrate your small success.
- Repeat the above-mentioned steps to set a new weekly academic goal.
What Are The Common Mistakes To Avoid When Setting Goals?
We all want to achieve things in life. When setting goals you desperately want to achieve to improve your academic performance, do not make these common mistakes.
- Not making SMART goals
- Not setting achievable goals
- Not able to understand the difference between wishful thinking and ambition
- Do not have a support system in place
- Not following self-discipline on a daily basis
How Do Students Benefit From SMART Goal Setting For Achieving Academic Success?
SMART goals help you get clarity. It simplifies your job to create a well-designed and precise weekly academic goal when you meet all the criteria of SMART goal setting: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound. Let’s understand the benefits of SMART goal setting for students.
A student’s life is full of challenges and pressures. Setting weekly SMART goals can help reduce stress and achieve your academic goals.
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