Your Goals
Why are you coming to college? What do you hope
to accomplish? Where are you headed in the world of work? All
of these questions are different ways of asking about your goals.
Goals serve a number of important functions that directly affect
your college success.
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Goals link you
to your future.
When you have a goal in mind, it influences the decisions
you make in the present, as you work toward that goal.
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Goals 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.
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Goals are motivational.
Goals pull together and organize both physical and mental
energies. This is one reason goals are such a potentially
powerful force in your life. Goals focus energy that might
otherwise be scattered and wasted.
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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 other perceive you.
There are several criteria you can use to evaluate
the usefulness of your goals.
You may be starting college without a definite goal in mind. Even
if you have a goal, you may want to re-evaluate it before you
make important choices and commitments. If a goal is to guide
and motivate you, not just any goal will do. The goals you select
should meet several important criteria.
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Your goals should
be clear.
Vague goals lead to uncertain results. It often helps to examine
your values, assess your interests and skills, and explore
alternatives.
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Your goals should
reflect your values.
Working toward a goal only makes sense if the goal is related
to what is important to you. If a goal is selected without
much thought and consideration, you may end up achieving something
that has very little value and meaning to you.
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Your goals should
be realistic.
Your imagination is an important element of exploring goals.
You should feel free to entertain all kinds of possibilities.
Yet, in the end, the goal you choose for yourself should have
an acceptable probability of success.
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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 challenging factors that stand
between you and their realization. Are there things you can
do that will increase your chances of success?
As you begin your college education, clear and realistic goals
become an important element of your success. There are a number
of resources available at Florida Community College, including career
planning resources (check out our career classes: SLS 1301
and SLS 1401), and counseling
services that may be helpful.
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