thesis for goal setting

Goal-Setting Theory

Locke, et al (1981) defined the “goal” in Goal-Setting Theory (GST) as “what an individual is trying to accomplish; it is the object or aim of an action” (p. 126). According to Moeller et al. (2012), goal setting is the process of establishing specific and effective targets for task performance. Locke, et al. (1981) also provided evidence that goal setting has a positive influence on task performance. Latham and Locke (2007) explained that “a specific high goal leads to even higher performance than urging people to do their best” (p. 291).

Before the 1960s, some researchers began to study the effectiveness of setting goals in business. The results showed that goal setting has a positive influence on workers’ performance. However, there was a lack of theoretical framework to explain why and how goal-setting influences work performance (Latham & Locke, 2007). GST served to explain human behavior in specific work situations (Locke, 1968). After a lot of experimental research done by Locke and Latham, GST was formalized in 1990 (Locke & Latham, 1990; Locke & Latham, 2002). The theory is now seen as “one of the most influential frameworks in motivational psychology” (Nebel et al., 2017, p. 102).

Previous Studies

Studies that employ GST can be divided generally into three domains. First, in academics, setting goals was shown to have a significant influence on students’ learning performance (see, e.g., Gardner et al, 2016; Locke & Latham, 1990 ; Locke & Latham,  2002 ). For example, Gardner et al. (2016) invited 127 medical students to participate in surgical skill training. They found that goal setting was effective in helping new students acquire surgical skills, especially when students develop specific strategy and goal orientations. In other words, the study found that students have better learning performance when they have clearer and more specific goals. In addition, Neble et al. (2017) had 87 students play the video game Minecraft  (Mojang, 2011), and the results showed that for those students who set specific goals, their cognitive load was lowered. Further, Moeller and colleagues (2012) conducted a five-year quasi-experimental study on the relationship between goal setting and the performance of Spanish language learners in high school. The results indicated that having high-quality goals contributed to students’ better language acquisition.

Second, Latham and Locke (2007) pointed out in their study that, in the field of organization and human resource management, goal setting can have an impact on employees’ behavior and performance in the workplace. Based on this idea, 108 middle level banking managers in Indonesia were invited by Aunurrafiq et al. (2015) to investigate whether setting goals could have a positive impact on their managerial performance. They provided evidence that goal specificity, goal participation, and goal commitment are significant factors in enhancing managers’ managerial performance. In addition, Brown and Latham (2000) invited 36 unionized employees in a Canadian telecommunications company to test the effectiveness of three ways to increase employees’ performance. Their results indicated that the employees with specific and challenging goals reached higher performance levels than those who set goals along with self-instructions to do their best.

Third, goal setting has also been popularized in the field of sports. According to Weinburg and Butt (2014), “Setting goals can help athletes prioritize what is the most important to them in their sport and subsequently guide daily practices by knowing what to work on” (p. 343). Locke and Latham (1985) concur. In Locke and Latham’s (1985) study, they found that setting goals can be more effective in sports because the performance of sports is easier to measure. In another study, Burton et al. (2010) investigated the impact of incorporating goal setting and goal strategies between highly effective and less effective athletes among 570 college athletes who participated in 18 sports at a university. The results indicated that goal setting had a positive impact on their performance, and the athletes who set goals and implemented goal strategies more frequently tended to be both more effective than others and have better sports performance. Finally, a study conducted by Bueno et al. (2008) on the effectiveness of goal setting on endurance athletes’ performance indicated that goal setting is effective in increasing efficacy, which leads to better performance in endurance sports.

Model   of Goal-Setting Theory

This model in Figure 1 is adapted from Locke and Latham (2002) and consists of three parts: concepts, constructs, and a proposition. The concepts include key factors that affect peoples’ performance, with moderators and mediators that might affect the goals that are set. The constructs indicate that these concepts impact people’s performance and motivation. The proposition shows that a specific and challenging goal, combined with regular feedback, can increase motivation and productivity so that people can perform better. These model aspects are described below.

Locke (1990) pointed out that there are some significant factors that can impact an individual’s performance: core goal properties (e.g., specificity, challenge), moderators (e.g. ability, feedback, goal commitment), and mediators (e.g., choice, effort). Latham (2003) pointed out in one study that individuals who have specific, challenging, but attainable goals have better performance than those who set vague goals or do not set goals. Meanwhile, individuals should possess ability and have commitment to the goal to have better performance.

For the part of moderators, Locke (1990) explains ability as whether people possess skill or knowledge to finish the task. Feedback is also needed for people to decide whether they should put forth more effort or change their strategy. Moreover, goal commitment refers to whether individuals have the determination to realize the goal. In addition to ability, feedback, and commitment, task complexity is also considered important; it indicates that people tend to have better performance when the tasks are more straightforward. In addition, situational resources, the related resources or materials provided for individuals to achieve their goal, are also essential. Finally, self-efficacy refers to whether people are confident in doing something and that it will affect their goals and performance (Locke & Latham, 1990).

For the part of mediators, choice means that people will make an effort towards the goal-relevant activities when they choose to set specific and difficult goals. Furthermore, persistence refers to how long people will stick to the goal and if individuals are willing to spend time on achieving it. If so, they may have better performance (Locke & Latham, 1990). Finally, a specific, high goal needs a strategy to attain it.

According to the discussion above, with these important factors (e.g. specificity, challenge, ability, feedback, effort) in the concepts, people tend to have better performance and are more willing to face new challenges. Performance consists of a variety of behaviors, from test-taking to running a competitive race.

Proposition

To conclude, the proposition of GST is that when the concepts are optimal for an individual, better performance can result. What is optimal for each individual is a subject for research.

Using the Model

Goal-setting theory could be used in different domains such as teaching or research. In teaching, for example, this theory could be used as an instructional procedure to improve students’ writing performance for those who have difficulty in learning writing. By setting specific goals of what will be written in each paragraph, students may perform better in their writing class (Page & Graham, 1999). In addition, Nebel, et al. (2017) mentions that GST can also be used while using educational video games such as Minecraft ; goal setting can reduce students’ cognitive load when they set specific goals. Moreover, players who use educational video games and follow a specific learning goal can be impacted affectively by goal setting. In other words, students tend to become more engaged and show greater passion in finishing the task when they have clear goals. Moreover, Idowu, et al. (2014) invited 80 senior secondary school students to investigate whether goal setting skills are effective for students’ academic performance in English, and the results indicated that the incorporation of a goal setting strategy can enhance students’ academic performance in English. In other words, teachers can encourage students to create goals that can support their academic performance.

In the research area, studies investigate the influence of GST on language learners’ motivation and self-efficacy, which can better help language learners and language experts understand how to set up different goals affecting students’ self-efficacy and motivation in language learning (Azar et al., 2013). For future study, researchers could integrate goal-setting and self-efficacy theories to explore outcomes and the reasons for them, or studies could use GST with young children to see whether the theory applies across ages.

To conclude, goal setting can play a significant role in enhancing people’s motivation and performance. People who set specific, challenging goals and commit to these goals are more likely to try their best and persist in achieving the goals, which can lead to better performance and success.

Aunurrafiq., Sari, R. N., & Basri, Y. M. (2015). The moderating effect of goal setting on performance measurement system-managerial performance relationship.  Procedia Economics and Finance, 31 , 876-884.

Azar, H. F., Reza, P., & Fatemeh, V. (2014). The role of goal-setting theory on Iranian EFL learners’ motivation and self-efficacy.  International Journal of Research Studies Language Learning, 3 (2), 69-84.

Brown, T., & Latham, G. P. (2000). The effects of goal setting and self-instruction training on the performance of unionized employees .  Relations Industrielles / Industrial Relations, 55 (1), 80-95.

Bueno, J., Weinberg, R.S., Fernandez, C., & Capdevila, L. (2008). Emotional and motivational mechanisms mediating the influence of goal setting on endurance athletes’ performance.  Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9 (6), 786-799.

Burton, D., Yukelson, D., Weinberg, R., & Weigand, D. (1998). The goal effectiveness paradox in sport: Examining the goal practices of collegiate athletes.  The Sport Psychologist, 12 (4), 404-418.

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Gardner, K.A., Diesen, D.L., Hogg, D., & Huerta, S. (2016). The impact of goal setting and goal orientation on performance during a clerkship surgical skills training program.  The American Journal of Surgery, 211 (2), 321-325.

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Reflective Goal Setting, Goal Setting Theory, and the Importance of Writing About Goals

What Do We Know About The Impact Of Writing About Our Goals?

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This chapter focuses on a fundamental feature of Reflective Goal Setting—writing about our goals. It will firstly show how the model has been influenced by other approaches to goal setting, especially the Goal Setting Theory (GST) of Edwin Locke and Gary Latham. The chapter is not intended to be an extensive literature review of the field but will outline the main features of Goal Setting Theory and show how Reflective Goal Setting builds on that. Secondly, current thinking on the importance of writing in detail about our goals will be presented.

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Travers, C.J. (2022). Reflective Goal Setting, Goal Setting Theory, and the Importance of Writing About Goals. In: Reflective Goal Setting. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99228-6_3

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Principles of Effective Goal Setting

Eva v. monsma, ph.d..

University of South Carolina

1. Make goals specific, observable and in measurable terms  – Setting general goals such as improving your shooting percentage in basketball is easy but it becomes hard to determine how to go about doing this without specific criteria or directives. Specifying how and when to do things can help to this end. Coaches, consider telling your players to ‘draw’ a “C” with their wrist and use a cue word such as “push” to guide players towards the meaning of improved mechanics. A measurable goal is one you can quantify, in the sense that you know exactly how close you are to achieving that goal. Rather than saying “most of you have a good shooting percentage” reporting the percentage of players who meet the 65% criteria can be updated on the following week until 100% of the team has achieved this goal. Observable goals are those that can be measured and are specific. Thus, identifying what comprises a general goal can help develop specific criteria that are observable and measurable, especially if the terms of a specific date or number of trials.

2. Clearly identify the time constraints  – Asking players to improve their shooting percentage will be ineffective unless you have a specified date or event to work towards. Is this goal to be accomplished by the end of practice? The end of the week? By playoffs? Well stated goals should be timely.

3. Use moderately difficult goals  – Moderate goals are better than easy or very difficult goals because it pushes athletes to work hard and extend themselves in order to meet the goals. They are also more satisfying when attained.

4. Write goals down and regularly monitor progress  – Goals are ineffective if forgotten. Write them down being as specific as possible. Keeping a journal or a publicly posted goal monitoring chart can help athletes and coaches with the monitoring process. 

  5. Use short-range goals to achieve long range plans  - As shown in the above diagram, goal setting is much like climbing a mountain. The long range goal of reaching your main goal requires strategic short-term goals setting.

  6. Set practice as well as competition   goals  – It is important for the team and the coach to recognize the critical importance of effective practices to prepare for competition. Practice goals should match competition performance goals as often as possible. Goals related to work ethic and attitude during practice are essential. Showing up on time ready to practice, entering warm-up with enthusiasm and paying attention to the coach and team captain are examples. Additionally, complementing one another on good effort can promote team cohesion and a supportive environment that is fun to be involved with. Practice goals should also involve using mental skills such as imagery which can help with skill learning, strategies, presentation and working through competitive anxiety.

7.  Make sure goals are internalized by the athlete  – It is important that athletes feel in control (self-determined) of their goals. Ensuring that athletes accept and internalize goals is one of the most important features of goal setting. If athletes set their own goals, they will most likely internalize them. Sometimes when coaches set goals for athletes, they aren’t taken seriously.

8. Consider personality and individual differences in goal setting  – Coaches should also keep in mind that athletes’ personality characteristics can determine the effectiveness of goal setting. Whether or not a player is ego oriented (compares their performance to that of others) or task oriented (compares her performance to herself) could determine the extent to which they will be able to internalize goals. When athletes define success as beating others, they have little control over the outcome. Ego oriented athletes also have a tendency to set unrealistically high or low goals so they can have an excuse if their goals are not attained. Task oriented athletes set goals about doing their best and making some improvement experience success more frequently, persist at tasks longer and are more confident. 

9. Set positive goals as opposed to negative goals  – Goals can be stated either positively (e.g., increase the number of times I complete a back walkover on the balance beam) or negatively (e.g., reduce the number of times I fall off the balance beam during back walkovers). Whenever possible, set goals in positive terms by focusing on behaviors that should be present rather than those that should be absent. This can help athletes focus on success rather than failure. 

10. Identify a goal-achievement strategy  – It is important to understand the difference between setting goals and identifying a strategy that will help you accomplish your goals. For example, general objective goals and outcome goals are often set without strategies. Consider the goal of making the University of Tennessee basketball team. A high school student would have to research the GPA necessary to get into her academic program of interest, adhere to a strict study schedule to make good enough grades on assignments and test in various classes, work hard at her shooting, throwing and passing skills as well as her offensive and defensive skills among setting other important goals necessary to get to summer scouting camps.

11. Seek support for your goals  – Significant others in the life of an athlete can help ensure goals are achieved. In addition to the team coach, this usually includes other coaches, family, friends, teachers and teammates. Effort should be made in educating these individuals about the types of goals that you are setting for yourself and the importance of their support in encouraging progress towards the goals.

12. Set team as well as individual performance goals  – Performance for the team can be set just as easily as for individuals. Coaches should also consider involving the team in setting some of the various types of goals. For example, consider involving players in deciding weak performance areas and whether to focus on technique or strategies involved in those weak areas over the course of practice.  This article is adapted from Goal Setting for Synchronized Skaters and Coaches: Self-determining what you can achieve! Synchronized Skating Magazine, May, 2007.

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1 Goal Setting: Developing a Timeline

The goal of this section is to provide advice on how to structure a thesis project and create a long-term plan for accomplishing research and writing by setting and achieving goals in a timely manner.

There are many factors which can shape your timeline for completing a thesis. For example, the complexity of the project, the need for travel to foreign countries to conduct field work or research, unexpected medical crises, and many more factors can alter timelines.

Nonetheless, having a general, flexible timeline of the thesis project is a helpful way to conceptualize and set achievable goals. When planning your own timeline, there are several things to keep in mind:

• What kind of thesis will you write?
• What does the project require you to do?
• What is the structure of your program? What landmarks do you need to pass before beginning work on the thesis itself?
• What kind of team are you working within?
• What are the expectations of your department?
• What is your available funding and financial need?
• Outside life: How much time are you willing/able to commit to writing your thesis? What other important commitments do you have?

Your overarching timeline may be affected by unforeseen circumstances, so it is important to revisit and reassess it often in communication with your supervisor and committee. Nonetheless, having a broad timeline for the process will help you to understand what your expectations and the expectations of your supervisor are, and set goals that will support your timeline.

Thesis timeline form

Use this fillable Thesis Timeline Form [downloadable PDF] to consider what factors will shape your thesis timeline. You are encouraged to revisit this form as your timeline takes shape and make the necessary changes or additions to reflect your overall plan. Be sure to share this with your supervisor and seek feedback.

Master’s timelines

The following chart demonstrates the diversity of timelines at the master’s level. Please note that leaves of absence are subject to approval. Please refer to the Graduate Calendar [https://academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca/index.php] for regulations and policies if you are considering a leave of absence.

Doctoral timelines

The following chart demonstrates the diversity of timelines at the doctoral level. Please note that leaves of absence are subject to approval. Please refer to the Graduate Calendar [https://academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca/index.php] for regulations and policies if you are considering a leave of absence.

Sample PhD timeline

The following chart provides a detailed example of a PhD timeline for a History PhD student.

McMaster University's Graduate Thesis Toolkit Copyright © 2021 by McMaster University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Setting Goals & Staying Motivated 

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This vidcast talks about how to set goals and how to maintain motivation for long writing tasks. When setting goals for a writing project, it is important to think about goals for the entire project and also goals for specific writing times. These latter goals should be specific, measurable, and manageable within the time allotted for writing. The section on motivation shares ideas for boosting motivation over the course of a long writing project. The handouts on goal-setting and staying productive, as well as the scholarly writing inventory, complement the material in this vidcast and should be used in conjunction with it. 

Note: Closed-captioning and a full  transcript  are available for this vidcast. 

Handouts 

Goal-Setting for your Personal Intensive Writing Experience (IWE) | [PDF]

This handout guides writers through the important process of goal-setting for the personal Intensive Writing Experience. Specifically, it talks about how to (1) formulate specific, measurable, and reasonable writing goals, (2) set an overall IWE goal, (3) break up the overall goal into smaller, daily goals, and (4) break up daily goals into smaller goals for individual writing sessions. Writers are prompted to clear their head of distracting thoughts before each writing session and, after each session, to debrief on their progress and recalibrate goals as needed. 

Scholarly Writing Inventory (PDF) 

This questionnaire helps writers identify and inventory their personal strengths and weaknesses as scholarly writers. Specifically, writers are prompted to answer questions pertaining to (1) the emotional/psychological aspects of writing, (2) writing routines, (3) research, (4) organization, (5) citation, (6) mechanics, (7) social support, and (8) access to help. By completing this questionnaire, scholarly writers will find themselves in a better position to build upon their strengths and address their weaknesses. 

Stay ing Productive for Long Writing Tasks (PDF)

This resource offers some practical tips and tools to assist writers in staying productive for extended periods of time in the face of common challenges like procrastination. It discusses how the process of writing is more than putting words on a page and offers suggestions for addressing negative emotions towards writing, such as anxiety. The handout also lays out helpful methods for staying productive for long writing tasks: (1) time-based methods, (2) social-based methods, (3) output-based methods, (4) reward-based methods, and (5) mixed methods. 

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Goal Setting for your Writing

Aim for goals that are specific, measurable, and achievable!

To make your writing project manageable and keep yourself on track, break a bigger project (writing a paper, chapter, thesis, dissertation, etc.) into smaller goals. Make each goal specific, measurable, and achievable. This way you can easily determine that you’ve completed a given goal, check it off your list and move on to the next. Allow for some flexibility! You can always update and adjust your goals if you need to, as you go. Setting habitual goals might also help you to complete your short-term goals. Think of giving yourself some kind of reward for completing each goal, to keep the positive thoughts flowing.

Examples of long-term project goals :

• Write a paper/chapter
• Rework a paper/chapter
• Submit a paper/chapter
• Finish a thesis/dissertation

Examples of short-term project goals :

• Choose the topic of your piece of writing
• Read 5 sources on your topic
• Outline your piece
• Write a draft of the piece’s thesis
• Write the introduction to your piece
• Write a section of your chapter/paper
• Write the conclusion of your paper
• Edit your Bibliography

Examples of habitual goals :

• Write for a set number of Pomodoro sessions today (e.g. 20 minutes of writing at a time, with 5-minute breaks between writing sessions)
• Write for a set number of hours per day (e.g. 3 hrs)
• Write a set number of words/pages per day (300 words, 750 words, 2 pages, etc.)
• Leave yourself a memo about where you left off and what you’re planning to do next

Habitual Goals

Find the right measurable approach: A habitual goal  based on page numbers, word counts, or time is easier to achieve than one based on something nebulous such as a paper section.     

Consider working on the project first thing: Accomplishing something on your work before you to anything else, even if it is only 25 words or reading an abstract can help you make steady progress.

Write through a block: Keep your habitual goal by writing out what is holding you back.

Leave yourself a note: Leave a note for yourself about where you are going next when you finish your writing session so you can easily pick back up next time.

Project Goals/Short Term Goals

Take a nebulous goal and make it manageable – Finishing a paper or chapter is a long term project goal, but one that it not always clearly defined.  Break it down to defined goals.

Think in Parts:  Break down every project (or project component) into thirds, and schedule those thirds throughout the week.  Don’t let your list become overwhelming, give yourself no more than three specific short term goals for a day/writing session 

Give yourself time: Budget three times as much as you think you will take to complete a project. 

Create a goal setting template: Break down your project goals consistently using a template.  We’ve included one below.

Setting up Accountability for your goals

Be smart about the accountability that you need- Can it come internally from you or do you need an advisor, colleague, or writing group to keep you on track?

Set up a writing group – Writing in company (in person or digital) or checking in with someone else by phone, text, or email before a writing session can help you to keep both a habitual goal and a project goal.

Reward yourself – A tried and true method! Consider what rewards you get and how they might motivate you.  Don’t just reward yourself at the end of a project, choose a mini-reward for keeping your habitual goals for a certain number of days, or completing a particularly difficult section.  

Adjust your goals – If you keep missing a goal, don’t be hard on yourself, adjust accordingly.  How might you break it down further into something achievable?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Virtuous procrastination : avoid accomplishing tasks that give you a sense of achievement without advancing your writing goals.  In other words, your writing time should be spent on writing, not on cleaning your apartment, preparing for class, or writing your bibliography.

Negative self-talk : avoid criticizing your work, your productivity, etc., while you are working. Think nice things to yourself! Be kind and gentle!  

Setting unrealistic goals : avoid setting goals that require energy, time, or other resources that you do not currently have. 

Digital Tools for Goal Setting

There are many digital tools out there that aim to help with your productivity.  These can be extremely helpful for setting goals and breaking them down into manageable steps.  Most of these tools will allow you to set up a digital template that you can use for future projects as well.

Some of our recommendations include: 

To Do Lists/Project Managers:

Trello – Allows for multiple boards and customizable lists.  Can also be used to outline writing.   See our video. 

Asana –  project management app that includes time tracking.  Useful for teams and individuals.

ToDoist – one of the most popular to-do apps out there for a reason

Gamification for Goal Setting: 

Gamification can be a form of accountability and reward.  Many of these apps encourage you to work with a group to help one another stay on track. 

Habit Hunter – most RPG like, allows you to easily break down big goals into smaller ones

Habitica – Join a party, go on quests together, get reward with digital pets.  Allows for setting habitual/daily goals and project goals.

Flora –  Grow trees by completing to-do lists and by using a focus timer.

Do you thrive on negative consequences? Try:

Beeminder – charges you money for tasks left undone. 

Remember, aim for goals that are specific, measurable, and achievable!

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How To Write A Powerful Essay On Achieving Goals (+ Example)

Writing an essay on achieving your goals can be a great opportunity to share your accomplishments.

Goal setting is a useful strategy to get the most out of life and set yourself up for success. However, there are many things to remember regarding proper goal setting and achievement. When writing a blm argumentative essay , it’s important to provide context on the history of the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues it seeks to address. This can help the reader understand the significance of the essay’s thesis and arguments. Let’s get to grips with the process of goal setting and come up with a powerful essay on achieving goals.

Structuring Your Essay on Achieving Goals:

How to write an introduction.

Any academic essay must have a strong beginning. It will establish your point of view and inform the reader of what to expect. An introduction should:

• Attract the reader’s attention with a ‘hook’. You can achieve this by quoting a shocking statistic, quote, fact, or controversial statement.
• Give some background or historical information about the topic. For instance, psychological theories and models on effective goal setting and achievement.
• Present your thesis (main point of your essay) e.g., “Rewarding achievement is the most effective means by which employers can increase workplace productivity”.

How to Write The Main Body of Your Essay

There should be a minimum of three paragraphs in your essay. Each one is a ‘mini-essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each should include:

• Topic sentence: inform the reader about the subject of the paragraph, e.g., “how to measure goal attainment”, or “effective workplace goal setting”.
• Evidence sentences: inform the reader about the evidence you’ve uncovered, e.g., a business model and study on effective workplace goal setting.
• Analysis sentences : inform the reader of your thoughts on the evidence and its significance. For example, “Model A clearly shows how employers are to set realistic goals with employees and this model has proven to be successful in study x”.
• Concluding sentence: summarize what you’ve learned about the topic and how it relates to the essay question. For instance, “Setting realistic goals for employees is straightforward and likely to increase successful goal achievement in the workplace”.

How to Write a Conclusion

• To signal the essay is ending, use a suitable word or phrase , such as ‘In summary’ or ‘With all of this in mind’.
• Reread your introduction to remind yourself of your thesis. After that, either paraphrase or respond to the thesis.
• Summarize the key points stated in each of the assignment’s paragraphs. So, if you wrote three key body paragraphs, the conclusion should include three main themes.
• Give your readers a concluding line on the main issue and possibly attempt to urge them to further ponder the topic in its wider context.

Example Of An Essay About Achieving Your Goals

So, let’s put all this information together and check an example essay on achieving goals: Effective Methods to Increase the Likelihood of Goal Achievement Achieving goals can be extremely rewarding and result in a more satisfying and successful life. Many people set goals yet cannot achieve them. However, there are ways to avoid or reduce the likelihood of missing the mark. By ensuring that goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), using visualization techniques, and rewarding goal attainment, the chances of success increase. First, ensure your goals are SMART. This means that goals should be specific and measurable in terms of outcomes, e.g., test scores . Goals should be achievable and realistic to the person’s capabilities and resources available. Also, a goal should apply to the person’s work, education, hobbies, or interests and include a deadline. If there is no specificity of outcome, there’s no real way to see how someone has improved—or how they might be falling short. And if goals are not SMART, they are more difficult to achieve. Second, by imagining and visualizing the feelings and outcomes of achievement of the goal , the likelihood of high achievement increases. The imagination can be a powerful tool. Imagining the feelings of accomplishment helps to increase self-efficacy and motivation. A Canadian study found that imagery skills moderate the effect of mental practice on self-efficacy. The effects of visualization techniques are valuable in goal achievement. Third, once the goal has been accomplished, a reward is required. Getting a reward for hard work will increasingly motivate an individual to set and achieve the next goal. The offer of a reward gives employees and students an extra boost of motivation. Rewards help the cycle of goal setting and goal achieving to continue. In summary, by ensuring the goals set are SMART, visualizing and rewarding success, goal achievement becomes more likely. Achieving goals is a cyclic process that’s possible to master if the right method is in place.

The Basics of Setting and Achieving Goals

Getting things done is often more difficult than you may think. You may have a strong desire to see positive changes, including better grades, weight loss, or passing an educational course. But success requires more than just motivation. The right goal-achievement skill set can help you see the exact steps you need to perform to take your life to the next level. Of course, it all starts with setting a goal and there’s a useful (SMART) acronym to remember:

Goals should be specific and free of generalizations, or they are unlikely to get done. Instead of stating that your goal is to improve your English skills, make it more specific by stating that your goal is to learn and use one new word every weekday to boost your English vocabulary.

A goal should be measurable because you need to keep your finger on the pulse and know where you’re at. For instance, a test or assessment score can provide evidence that you have reached your goal.

A goal needs to be possible to achieved. If it’s beyond your capabilities or requires resources you cannot access, then you will set yourself up for failure.

Goals must have some relevance. It is pointless to set a goal if it’s not relevant to your life, work, education, interests, hobbies, etc.

You must set a completion date for your goal. If you do not set a deadline, you may lack the motivation to reach it. Once you have your SMART goal, record it clearly on paper or a mobile device and then visualize the outcome of achieving that goal. Imagine how happy you will feel when you achieve it. This vivid mental imagery will provide you with the extra motivation to go for it. Finally, when you reach your goal, it’s time to celebrate! Reward yourself with a trip, an item you desire, relaxation time with friends, or whatever else that will make you feel happy.

Ready to write an essay about achieving goals?

Hopefully, the information in the article has given you the basics to help you write a powerful essay on achieving goals. I also hope that this article has helped you think about how you can work toward achieving your own goals. There are many great books about the science of goal achievement. I especially recommend ones written by Brian Tracy , as they have helped me a great deal in my pursuit of happiness . You can also create an engaging presentation about achieving goals and objectives using this  goal presentation template . Next up, you may want to explore an ultimate guide to writing expository essays .

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Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development Essay

Setting goals is an important activity that everyone should engage in to achieve growth and development. In setting our goals, we should think critically on the type of goals we set to avoid disappointment which can reduce one’s morale to develop.

We should make sure the goals we are setting are ours and are not as a result of the influence of another party.

One should also have a reason for setting the goals and the goals set should be encouraging to engage in, because if they are boring, then one might lose interest in developing the goal.

When the goal is set, one should be able to visualize himself enjoying the benefits from the target after the specified time has elapsed, to avoid engaging in unachievable ventures (Robbins & Coulter, 2009)

In setting goals, we should have a method or some kind of approach to enable one to choose fruitful goals. The best method of goal setting is the SMART goal setting process. The acronym stands for:

M-Measurable

A-Attainable, but challenging

R-Rewarding

This model can be used to set any type of goals, and whether personal or professional they are all achievable. For example, I would like to set a specific goal which is opening a new branch for my fashion business, and I expect to be worth half a million dollars by the end of this year.

T hat is not enough to set a specific goal; hence I should set a measurement to determine my success in the undertaking.

I should be able to measure the operations of the new branch to determine my progress. Measuring the goal would entail taking into account all the sales, costs and revenues from the new branch.

My goal should also be attainable in that; it should be easy to achieve and manage to avoid discouragement, but they should not be too easy to achieve otherwise that would be wastage of resources and time.

However, our goals should not be complicated or set to a very high mark that is not realistic.

In setting my goal I considered that it took me a year and a half to achieve a half a million worth business in my first venture hence now that am more experienced, I should be able to achieve that in a year if all other things remain constant (Robbins & Coulter, 2009).

One should also be able to predict whether the goal will be achievable through measurement and if it appears otherwise, then the strategies used should be changed. Goals set should also be rewarding; they should yield benefits or revenues.

This is the main reason for setting goals, and hence one should evaluate the progress of the venture.

Rewards depend on the type of goal, or venture one is involved in, and for my purpose, I should be able to determine the revenues of my new parlor to know whether am making profits and how I can to make the profits more so that the business can expand more.

The achievement of goals should be timely, and this involves setting deadlines or a time frame in which the goals should be achieved. Otherwise one can spend too much time on one venture instead of using that time to perform other activities.

The time frame will also be determined by the type of goals set; for example, one can not expect to lose weight in two weeks nor can you wait for five years without any change in the weight.

My goal is business oriented, and in setting the time frame, I should consider all eventualities that characterize the fashion market and also consider previous experience; my time frame is one year. The approach is very effective because it is easy to analyze, logical and applicable.

Once we have set the goals we need to make plans on how to achieve them and planning can be managerial or operational; managerial planning is done by the managers and in my case am obligated to do that, while the operational planning involves the first level managers and who are not present in my business because it is not very big to have such employees hence I and the sales staff will do that since they are the only employees.

We should always set well-written goals for easy planning of their implementation.

In planning developing plans to pursue a goal, we should always consider the level of the business the environmental uncertainties and any other future commitment because this is some of the major factors that are likely to influence the implementation of our plans (Robbins & Coulter, 2009)

In making good goals we should review the mission of the organization, in this case, the business, we should also consider the available resources required for the implementation of the goals and finally other people that will be involved in its implementation should also be involved in setting the goal.

Goal setting is very important to achieve success hence the need for proper planning, implementation, and evaluation of our goals. By using the smart approach, one will always stay motivated to achieve the goals and is less likely to fail.

The approach encourages creativity and allows for flexibility hence enables you to work at your pace and capacity while still keeping you alert. It is a good method and very recommendable especially for in setting business goals.

Reference list

Robbins, J & Coulter, M. (2009) Management , New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

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IvyPanda. (2022, April 29). Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development. https://ivypanda.com/essays/goal-setting/

"Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development." IvyPanda , 29 Apr. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/goal-setting/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development'. 29 April.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development." April 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/goal-setting/.

1. IvyPanda . "Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development." April 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/goal-setting/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Goal Setting for Achieving Growth and Development." April 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/goal-setting/.

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Student Essays

Essay on Goal Setting | Value & Importance of Goal Setting

Goals are the great way and a mean towards achieving anything in life. In our life we are surrounded by commitments, goals and well planned agendas. The Goal setting is quite critical for the success in our academic life, in career orientation and success in business as well as in  personal life. The following essay on Goal setting helps you understand the meaning and importance of Goal Setting and further how it’s important in Life.

Essay on Goal Setting | Value & Importance of having a Great Goal in Life

Goal setting is the process of outlining priorities in life by a student. Goal setting is important because it allows students to focus on what is important and helps them stay organized. Goal setting can be defined as the process of setting priorities and determining the steps needed to achieve a desired outcome. This is an important skill for students to develop, as it allows them to focus on what is important and helps them stay organized. By setting goals, students can better manage their time and resources, and achieve success in their academic pursuits.

>> Related Post:  ” Essay on Innovation & Importance in Life ”

Importance of Goal Setting

Goal setting is important because it allows students to focus on what is important and helps them stay organized. By setting goals, students can better manage their time and resources, and achieve success in their academic pursuits.

There are several reasons why goal setting is important for students. First, by setting goals, students can prioritize what is important to them and better manage their time. Second, goal setting helps students stay focused and motivated to achieve their goals. Finally, by setting goals, students can measure their progress and see how far they have come.

Goal setting is a important tool for success because it allows individuals to focus on what is important, better manages time, and provides motivation. When used correctly, goal setting can be the difference between success and failure.

There are many different ways that students can set goals. One way is to make a list of things that the student wants to achieve during the school year. This could include getting good grades, participating in extracurricular activities, or spending time with family and friends. Another way to set goals is by making a list of things that the student wants to improve on. This could include studying more, being more organized, or being more active in class.

Causes why Students Fail in Goal Setting 

Failure is the part of life. It happens sometimes we are unable to achieve the goals that we have planned in life. It happens because of a host of factors. Primarily, It can be because the goal was unrealistic to start with, or because of a lack of planning and execution on our part. It can also be due to outside factors such as difficult circumstances or limited resources. Finally, it could be that we simply gave up too soon. Whatever the cause may be, it is important to learn from our failures and move on.

>>> Related Post:  ” Paragraph on Examination  For Students” 

No matter how students set their goals, it’s important for them to stay focused on what they want to achieve. Goal setting is a important tool for success because it allows individuals to focus on what is important, better manages time, and provides motivation. When used correctly, goal setting can be the difference between success and failure.

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Record watch: gretna east's junior forward looks to break single-season goal record in nebraska on saturday.

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Gretna East's junior forward is three goals short of setting a new single-season state record.

Sonora Defini scored six goals and ran her season total to 52 on Wednesday in the Griffins' 12-3 win over Scotus.

She needs three more goals to set a new single-season scoring record.

The current record of 54 was set in 1998.

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Messi has a record-setting game with a goal and 5 assists in Inter Miami’s 6-2 win over Red Bulls

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi falls on New York Red Bulls midfielder Daniel Edelman during the first half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi dribbles the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game against the New York Red Bulls, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi runs into New York Red Bulls midfielder Daniel Edelman during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

New York Red Bulls defender Kyle Duncan (6) advances the ball against Inter Miami during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami players celebrate after a goal against the New York Red Bulls during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami midfielder Matias Rojas, bottom leeft, celebrates after a goal against the New York Red Bulls during the second half of an MLS soccer game Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

New York Red Bulls midfielder Emil Forsberg advances the ball past Inter Miami defender Nicolás Freire (21) during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami’s Marcelo Weigandt, left, controls the ball in front of New York Red Bulls forward Elias Manoel (11) during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Inter Miami defender Franco Negri, left, protects the ball from New York Red Bulls midfielder Emil Forsberg during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had a record-setting night for Inter Miami.

He scored a goal and had five assists as Inter Miami trounced the New York Red Bulls 6-2 on Saturday night — with the Argentine great and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the game’s best player setting no fewer than three Major League Soccer records.

The six goal contributions, five assists and five assists in a half were all MLS records.

Messi, who earned the MLS Player of the Month Award for April, has now scored and assisted in six consecutive league matches.

“It has become redundant but it appears that he is always making history,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said. “If something was missing, it was this — to contribute in six goals.”

Luis Suárez had three goals and Matias Rojas scored twice as Inter Miami got six unanswered goals to come back from a 1-0 halftime deficit. Messi and Suárez now have a league-leading 10 goals each, helping keep Inter Miami (7-2-3, 24 points) atop the Eastern Conference.

The win extended Miami’s unbeaten string to six. The streak began after a 4-0 loss at New York on April 20, in which Messi did not play because of an injury.

“When he is not available, obviously, the team feels it,” Martino said.

Miami began the rout with Rojas’ equalizer in the 48th minute. Messi centered a pass to Rojas whose left-footed shot landed under the crossbar.

Suárez then fed a charging Messi with a touch pass and he beat New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel with a shot from 15 yards.

Rojas made it 3-1 with his second goal in the 62nd minute on an assist from Messi. The 28-year-old Rojas joined Inter Miami on April 23 and entered the match to start the second half.

“This is the ultimate satisfaction for a goal scorer,” Rojas said. “It makes it even more special because we accomplished it at home.”

Messi then contributed on former Barcelona teammate Suárez’s first goal in the 69th minute.

“Leo makes it easier for all of us,” Suárez said. “We know each other long enough. When we are on the pitch, we know how to spot each other without looking.”

Suárez also struck in the 75th and 81st minutes before the Red Bulls (4-2-5, 17 points) closed the scoring on Emil Forsberg’s penalty kick in stoppage time.

“We have many players that are capable of scoring,” Martino said. “At some points in the match we are going to find favorable moments. The issue is how we limit the unfavorable moments.”

New York controlled possession early and eventually capitalized on a Miami defensive breakdown that resulted in Dante Vanzeir’s goal in the 30th minute. José Carmona ran deep into the right wing of the large area and blasted a shot that bounced off the far post. An unmarked Vanzeir retrieved the deflection and converted from 15 yards.

Messi had his only scoring opportunity of the first half in the 24th minute, when Coronel stopped his shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba missed his third straight game because of a hamstring injury.

Both clubs will continue MLS play next Saturday. Inter Miami visits CF Montreal while the Red Bulls play host to New England.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer