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What is a goal?

During your time at university, you will hear many people talk about the goals you need to set and achieve. And, indeed, there are many goals you will achieve during your time at UCC. But what exactly is a goal and what can you do to accomplish those goals?

A goal is something you want to achieve. It is not an activity; it is not a task. It is an aim or a purpose. Goals are the first step towards planning for your future and goal setting is the process by which you achieve your goals.

Whenever you set a goal, set a time limit on it as it will push you to actually work on it. Remember to evaluate and revisit your goals at regular intervals – this will help you to stay agile and adapt your goals to keep pace with your evolving life and career plans.

Why is setting goals important?

GET S.M.A.R.T. ABOUT SETTING YOUR GOALS!

If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. Without goals, you will probably lack focus and direction. Goals will also help you measure your success. To accomplish your goals, you need to plan and structure them properly as a goal without a plan is just a wish. So, you need to get smart about goal setting, I mean S.M.A.R.T!

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-bound

Being SPECIFIC means that your goals should be very clear a well-defined. Be as specific as you can be! What exactly is your goal? How can you reach it? Why is this goal meaningful to you? Make sure that your goals are MEASURABLE, which means that you can measure your success or lack thereof. If you can’t measure your goals, you can’t manage them. You could set daily, weekly, monthly or term goals but, most importantly, your goals should be challenging yet ACHIEVABLE. What barriers may stand in your way? What help can you get on your way to achieving the goal? How will you deal with distractions? If your goals are not achievable you may get frustrated and disappointed so be realistic and give yourself enough time, help and resources to accomplish your goals. It's best if your goals is not only realistic but also RELEVANT to the direction you want your life, your studies and your career to take. Make sure that you have an end in sight and that you put a deadline or a milestone date to the goal you are setting. Whenever you set a new goal, set a time limit on it and make the goal TIME-BOUND as it will push you to actually work on it.

Goal setting guide

Download our handy PDF guide which will show you what S.M.A.R.T. goals are. The guide will help you reflect on your own goals, personal or professional, and is a great way to keep you on track and target.

Goal setting .pdf

S.M.A.R.T. goal worksheet

Now, let's get to work! The goal setting worksheet will guide your reflection and steps to college success. Pick one goal you have thought about and work through the worksheet to see how you can accomplish it. It could be improving a grade in one subject, it could be scoring a goal in the next match, or it could be saving enough money for those new trainers which are on trend at the moment. Use the worksheet to prepare yourself to achieve this goal. To type directly into this pdf, download the file below and open it in a new window. Use what you have learned in the S.M.A.R.T. goals infographic above! and apply it to set and reach your own goals!

If you come to visit one of the Skills Centre study coach sessions, make sure you have filled out and worked through the worksheet and bring it to the session. This will allow for better communication with the study coach and will help you reflect on the next steps you need to take.

Don't forget to save your copy of the worksheet in your Google Drive folder or wherever you are saving your studying and Success Zone material.

Goal Setting worksheet.pdf

Helpful Links

TED talk: How to get better at the things you care about
MindTools: Personal goal setting
UMass Dartmouth: Creating S.M.A.R.T. goals
YouTube video on how to set goals properly