Setting Your Grade 12 Goals

Setting Your

Grade 12 Goals

By Daniel J. Geary, Ph. D.

Whether you’re writing a term paper, seeking admission to college or university or developing your career, you’re far more likely to succeed if you set goals for yourself and develop a plan of action.

Setting Goals

A goal is an outcome you hope to achieve. Depending on the time needed to accomplish your goals, they can be classified as immediate, mid-range or long-term. Regardless of the timeframe, your goals should complement and support each other.

            An example of an immediate goal might be to submit three college or university applications by the end of the month. A mid-range goal would be to obtain admission to a selective college or position with a successful and promising company.

            Whatever you hope to achieve, the goal should be realistic, worth your effort and valuable. Leonardo DaVinci once said, “He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.” This statement underscores the need to commit yourself to a worthwhile goal and be persistent in pursuing it.            

Setting goals requires thought and self-reflection. But even though goals are personal, it doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. There are plenty of individuals that can help you determine your goals and assist you in getting there.

Where to get help

Seek the support of individuals whose opinions you value and who are qualified to give you good advice. This may seem obvious, but some individuals will have opinions about things they know very little about. They may be well-meaning and sincere in their desire to help, but do they have the experience and knowledge needed to provide sound advice?

            Seek out parents, counselors, teachers and others with experiences that you value. Capitalize on the experiences of others. Remember, you’ve got to have a dream to have a dream come true. Set your goals to high, be persistent, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.           

A plan of action

The next step in achieving your goal is developing a plan of action. Often, this can be the difference between reaching a foal and coming up short. A plan of action must be specific and sequential. Ask yourself what actions need to occur and in what order. A plan of action must be specific and sequential. Ask yourself what actions need to occur and what order.

            For example, good grades and rigorous course of study are necessary to obtain university admission. However, a more specific plan of action might include a commitment to study math, science, social studies and English for at least 30 minutes each night. Further, you could review your tests and quizzes weekly and critique your work with your teacher on a regular basis. Identify which class is the most challenging, and study for that class first. Continue the process by studying the other subjects at a designated time each day, and don’t allow yourself to wander from this routine. By implementing this specific plan of action, your immediate goal of getting good grades becomes more achievable. Though a plan of action must be specific, it must also be realistic and attainable.

Understand your strengths and weaknesses

If you know that a particular subject is difficult for you, spend extra time working on that subject, consider working with a tutor before you get behind, and ask the teacher if there are tools available to help you understand the subject. This demonstrates that you set realistic goals and work to make them attainable. To assess whether your goals are reasonable, once again seek input from individuals whose opinions you value.

            Write your goals on a piece of paper and post them in a highly visible place. This will remind you of what you are trying to achieve and help you implement your plan of action. By setting goals, seeking advice and planning a course of action, you’ll be able to achieve the outcome you desire.

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