What is Goal Setting and How to Do it Well?

5 min read

Posted on

April 30th, 2025

A goal is referred to as a result which we all tend to achieve through our actions be it in the short-term, mid, or long-term. And our daily endeavors and actions all drive us either closer or farther away from those results. There are few instances that I have set out goals but didn’t accomplish the goal due to some reasons and I am honored in sharing my experience of one of those moments in my life where I could not accomplish my said goal.

I decided that I wanted to get a 4.0 GPA in my first semester, but I was unrealistic in setting this goal because college was new to me and I had a lot to learn about the college setting and teachings. I did not achieve my goal because I did not have the proper tools to do so.

In the following semester, I set a goal of achieving a 3.8 GPA and I was successful because of the experience I gained in my first semester.

I developed great study skills by learning, and I was able to attain a 3.8 GPA.

The process of effective goal setting allows students to be able to choose where to want to go in school, and knowing what you wish and want to achieve, gives you the insight to be motivated and thus improve and be more committed and this process further gives students either a long-term, mid, or short-term motivation. So, this brings us to the fact that effective goal setting helps us achieve goals in that if you set out effective goals, it will lead to the improvement of one’s academic performance, it will help them to increase their self-motivation, increase self-confidence, and also their satisfaction and pride in achieving these said goals will be increased.

Effective goal setting helps us achieve our goals in that it makes us set out our priorities which will make us avoid been overwhelmed and thus, makes us be focused, time conscious, and be self-controlling (Dorit Sasson, (n.d.)). There are several characteristics of good goals and for one to be able to have a good goal, the goal has to be realistic, specific, time-oriented and you have to be more committed to achieving the said goal. It is a good thing to have dreams for it makes you always challenge yourself but on the other hand, your goals should be realistic in the sense that it should always relate to your strengths and what you can do (abilities).

Also, you have to be very specific in making a good goal, avoid generalizing or comparing with others be unique and that will make your goal to be outstanding, unique, and specific for easy understanding and accomplishments. More so, if your goal doesn’t have a time frame, it makes it to become very vague and meaningless, thus, for you to have a good goal, you have to set up a time frame which you project in achieving that goal with that, you will be self-motivated, confident in reaching the goal. And you have to be committed to whatever you do, for it will all count in making a good goal, set priorities, and be committed (College Success, 2015).

A goal as earlier mentioned is referred to as a result which we all intend to achieve through our actions be it in the short-term, mid or long-term. And our daily endeavors and actions all drive us either closer or farther away from those results. As one thinks about a particular goal, it shouldn’t be limited to being just a student, but also from other perspectives, and as an individual, you have dreams, needs, desires, hopes, as well as plans and schemes. And as such, there is a variation between goals based on the time frame of that goal which either makes it a long-term goal, short-term goal, or a mid-term goal. A short-term goal focuses on days or weeks; a mid-term goal focuses on plans on either monthly or a yearly basis while a long-term goal begins with graduating college and the type of life and career you will want after college.

Short Term Goal: My short-term goal is to attain a 4.0 GPA in my next semester.
Mid Term Goal: My mid-term goal is to attain a 3.8 or higher for my overall college GPA so I can get into an excellent Graduate School to continue my studies.
Long Term Goal: My long-term goal is to use my educational background and apply it to achieve my goals in my future career.

Each one of these goals is specific, measurable, and achievable. I have the determination and mindset to make sure that I can meet all of my goals so that I can be successful in my career.