SETTING GOALS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE for STUDENTS

 

SETTING GOALS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

AVOID BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road can take you there” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

The current education system has parents prioritizing their childrens’ future over all else. The quest for affordable, accessible education is an on-going challenge.

The diverse curriculum today, requires students to be more engaged and devoted to their studies. Unfortunately, at this age students are distracted by the evolving facilities at their disposal. This is where setting and achieving goals become important criteria for students and parents and teachers need to encourage, guide and help them in the same.

In this blog, I am going to talk about goals as a 2-way process

1-     Setting Goals to improve performance

2-     Steps to achieve them

Knowing what a student wants to achieve, will help them understand what they need to concentrate and improvise on.

1- How to set goals to improve performance-

Set clear and tangible goals- Create goals that are clear, sharp, defined and specific. Writing down a grade in a subject for a term (Unit/Term Tests) with a deadline to achieve it is better than saying, “I need good grades.” Note that you should increase your grades a notch higher based on where you currently are as it motivates you to push a little more and remember not to compete with others. The competition has to be with yourself. The key to following your goals is to write them down and this is your first step.

Create a Timetable- While creating a timetable, as thumb rule always keep about 25% time vacant so that you can use it when any ‘emergency’ crops up. Stay focused with your task at hand and avoid distraction as much as possible. Use a checklist and schedule your day in a way that you don’t tire yourself. You will need to schedule tougher, core subjects at the start of the day and lighter (fun/ subjects that you like) for the latter half of the day.

Make your timetable bright, interesting and fun, you can also create a soft copy using pictures, videos, music.

Remember to make time for sport, activities and play.

Set deadlines- Setting a deadline can be a challenge because we do not tend to measure goals regularly and therefore it is easy to put things off for another day. We need to let urgency set in- setting a deadline will bring in commitment which in turn kicks in focus and you find ways to do it.

It is important to break the goal into bite-sized chunks within time frames to achieve more and feel satisfied every day.

Monitor each day- At the end of each day, monitor what you have achieved and set your plan for the next day. This is an important step to keep your eyes on the goal. Know that each short-term goal takes you closer to your long-term goal.

 

2- Steps to achieve your goals-

Take the first small step- It is easy to procrastinate however if you wait for the right moment, it may never happen, and you will lose your trust in goals. Take the first step even if it is small and most times, it always is.

Build the knowledge and skill you need- Now is the time! Learn a new skill, read, attend a class, and upgrade your knowledge. Find fun ways to study. Overcome your fears- you will grow when you try things you are uncomfortable with. You will fail many a times, just remember, NEVER GIVE UP. Review and fix your mistakes, dust yourself and move on. Remember that opportunities wait at the end of your comfort zone.

Stay focused and motivated- Distractions may be galore, it is however important to stay focused. Keeping your phone away from you is critical here- especially staying away from social media. You will need to create little incentives for yourself as a form of reward that will keep you motivated.

Creating a buddy system will keep you motivated as you will have an accountability partner, just remember to concentrate on the goal.

 

Goals are important and help you concentrate on what’s critical. The most beautiful part is that it forces you out of your comfort zone, allows you stay focused and meet your potential. Don’t wait before it is too late, take that first step to see the difference.