Your Goals
Congratulations, you have decided to start college! What prompted you to begin college? What do you hope to achieve? What career field have you chosen? These are all different ways of asking about your goals. Goals are important for many reasons.
Goals link you to your future.
When you have a goal in mind,
it affects the decisions you make in the present, as you work toward
that goal.
Goals can provide direction.
If you are committed to a goal,
you are more likely to behave in a way that leads to the attainment of
that goal.
Goals are motivational.
Goals pull together and organize
your energy. Goals focus that energy that may otherwise be scattered
and wasted.
Goals are expressive.
Whether you realize it or not, your
goals are a direct expression of who you are, what you value, and how
you see the world. Goals affect how you see yourself and how others see
you.
How to Evaluate Your Goals
You may be starting college with a definite goal in mind. Even if you do not have a goal, you will want to set some goals for your educational experience. In order for goals to really help you, they should include some of the following criteria.
Your goal should be clear.
Vague goals lead to uncertain
results. It may help to look at what you value, review your interests
and skill, and look at options.
Your goals should reflect your
values.
A goal will make sense if it is related to what is important to
you. Otherwise, you may end up achieving something that has very little
value and meaning to you.
Your goals should be realistic.
Your imagination is an important
element of exploring goals. You should feel free to think of all kinds
of possibilities. Yet, in the end, the goal you choose for yourself should
have an acceptable possibility of success.
Your goals should be supported
by a commitment to action.
If goals are to be realized, they must be achieved.
Think about your goals and the challenges that may stand between you
and achieving them. Is there something you can do that will increase
your chance for success?
Clarifying Your Goals
As you begin your college education, clear and reasonable goals are an important part of your success. FKCC provides resources including a career lab and Advising Services that may be helpful.