Setting and completing goals is something you need to consider. Goal setting is an integral component of high performance. Setting goals is a broad strategy that one can use at school, work, in sports and in other domains. Examples of goals include achieving 90% on a college quiz, obtaining a job promotion, and completing a 40-yard dash in less than 5 seconds.

 Effective goal setting requires that individuals set a precise long-term goal and break it into short-term realistic sub-goals. People should set a new goal after completing one. Therefore effective goal setting is a cyclical process. Performance with self-set goals is very effective because people accept the legitimacy of these goals and commit themselves to attaining them. In other words setting your own goals leads to your best performance. The benefits of assigned goals, for instance those set by a parent, supervisor, or coach can be strong as long as people perceive such goals as legitimate and reasonable.

It is important to note that goal achievement is not without peril because multiple goals can conflict an individual’s actions. In addition people may not have the skills required to complete their goals.

What are the steps in creating effective goals?

Engaging in strategic planning for gathering resources, sequencing, timing, and completing activities related to goals. These activities can help one accomplish complex or conflicting goals. More specifically, you should:

1. Subdivide long-term goals into short-term sub-goals that increases one’s motivation to complete a task. Sub-goals allow frequent self-evaluations of progress that lead to strategy changes.
2. Self-monitor and assess one’s progress during goal obtainment that allows one to reveal gaps in their performance. This leads to positive performance changes.
3. Use adaptive measures, such as obtaining additional resources or seek help, when obstacles arise; both of which improve goal obtainment.

So it should be clear that goal setting strategies involves many types of active behaviors that enhance performance and learning and performance across various domains.  Goalsetting can also be a collaborative activity that involves one’s peers, even those who are in remote locations who communicate with you through electronic means. This post was synthesized from (Eric Digests, 2001).