With finals rapidly approaching, I find myself setting goals for grades and other things. Naturally, I have high expectations for myself and my academic performance. Setting goals is a good approach for many parts of life because it gives you something to shoot for. For me, goals help me actually do the things I need to do, because I like the feeling of checking them off once I’ve accomplished my goals. I find goals to be motivating and something to look forward to.
Goals can be a great way to organize your thoughts and help you be successful. I was always encouraged to set goals that might seem outrageously hard to achieve, whether it be in school, sports, or life. Achieving those goals helped me see that I could do a lot more than what I thought I could do. I’ve also realized that setting little goals like cleaning my room by a certain time or reading a certain number of pages for a class can help me feel like my day was productive and organized.
Sometimes goals can feel arbitrary or just not worth it. I know that I start to sometimes feel that way when I am really stressed out (finals!) or overwhelmed. That’s why it is important to take time out of your daily routine for self-care and study breaks. Taking breaks gives your brain a chance to rest and process the information that you’ve just been studying, so then you will be more focused after the break is over. I like to set study goals so that I feel like I have a purpose while I’m studying. Meeting a bunch of little goals can help your big goal feel much more manageable, as well as make it easier to accomplish.
Whether your goal is to get all As on your finals, or it’s making a sports team, or trying something new; no goal is too big or too small. I have learned that with hard work, determination, and sometimes some help from others, I can accomplish anything that I set out to do. Goals are like the rungs of a ladder, you can use each one to get closer to whatever your desired life is. It’s okay to get overwhelmed at some points, as long as you get back on track and keep moving forward. Keep on keepin’ on, and eventually, you’ll look back and marvel at how far you’ve come. You got this!