Develop your goals in three easy steps.
Now that you’ve assessed what’s important to you, where you see yourself, and what you want to achieve, it’s time to turn these into a unique set of goals. There are some key steps to follow in this process.
Step 1: Think about your goals
Recording your goals makes them seem tangible and real. Before you write them down, use the SMART goals framework as a guide to ensure your goals are well thought out.
SMART - Goals Explained
| Each Goal Should | Ask Yourself: |
|---|---|
| Specific Know exactly what you need to accomplish and include as much detail as possible. | • What do I want to accomplish? • Why is this goal important to me? • Who may also be involved? • When do I want to do this? |
| Measurable Have very clear, distinct outcomes for meeting your goals. Make sure you can easily track your progress. | • How long will it take? • How will I know when it’s accomplished? • What does success look like for me? |
| Achievable Be realistic when setting goals. This can help you set attainable goals and stay motivated to reach them instead of getting discouraged along the way. | • What tasks or actions will I have to do to meet my goal? • Is it realistic to achieve given other challenges or factors? • Is it do-able? • Do I have the skills and resources to do this? |
| Relevant Make sure your goals are realistic and make sense to you, given your overall direction and life path. Make sure they are meaningful to you. | • How does my goal align with other goals or values? • Why is this important to me? • Why now? |
| Timely Set realistic deadlines and a target date or timeline to reach each goal. For more complex tasks with multiple steps, establish mini deadlines along the way. | • What is the timeframe for accomplishing this? • Did I include a deadline to achieve my goal? • Days, weeks, months? |
Examples of SMART Goals
| I will exercise at least three times per week during this school year for at least an hour each time to keep my body healthy and my mind ready to learn. | In this course, I’m going to earn a mark of 80% or higher on my exam at the end of the term. |
Step 2: Set your goals and make an action plan
Breaking your goals into small steps will help you work toward your main goal. Remember that each step must be measurable and achievable.
Here is an example of how to write and break down a goal into an action plan.
Example goal and action plan:
Goal: I’m going to earn a mark of 80% or higher on my exam at the end of the term.
| Steps or Actions | Resources Needed | Target Date for Completion |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Study for 1 hour every day between now and the test date. | Quiet study space Books/notes/slides | Date of the test |
| 2. Form a study group with my classmates to review notes. | Recurring Microsoft Teams meeting Lecture notes/practice tests | Date of the test |
| 3. Join a peer assisted support group and participate in sessions at least once a week. | Find out how to join by searching Peer Assisted Learning Supports on Connect | In the first month |
Questions to consider
For each step above, think about any resources or support needed:
- Do you have these resources right now?
- If not, where can you find them and what will you need to do to obtain each one?
- What potential obstacles might arise?
- How will you overcome each obstacle?
- Who can help you with this?
ADVISOR TIP
Ask an advisor to help you set your goals and create an action plan.
Advice from an NSCC student:
Take advantage of your pockets of time throughout the day at school to work on your assignments. You wouldn’t believe the amount of homework this will cut back on!
Try It
Now it’s your turn. Write down two goals for the academic year ahead and break out your action plan.
Check Your Work
Step 3: Follow the plan and meet your goals
Stay on track to meet your goals by using reminders and rewards.
Reminders
Give yourself reminders (phone, computer or hard copy). Use sticky notes and calendar apps to post reminders of things you need to do or keep doing along the way.
Rewards
Celebrate your accomplishments. Treat yourself for meeting your milestones and goals. It’s a major step in staying motivated for the long haul.
Reflect on the experience
- You followed a plan
- You held yourself accountable
- You got the results you wanted
- You feel successful
What’s next?
Setting and re-setting goals is a lifelong, continuous process and something you can do repeatedly over the course of your life. Setting goals is habit-forming and will help you achieve long-term success in all aspects of your life.
