Achieving life goals and improving
relationships
Life goals
A life goal is one of the major goals or dreams you
would like to achieve in life.
Life goals are complex, because humans are complex.
To be happy, we need to fulfil our different needs.
When setting life goals, don’t focus on only one dimension
of your life, eg education.
Having multiple goals in life will make you a more
balanced person.
Why do we set goals?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC3vWeQRX0s
Define Goal Setting:
The development of an action plan designed
to
motivate
and
guide
a person or group toward a goal / something
they want to achieve
Setting life goals
To set life goals, there are many questions that you need
to ask.
First one is, “How do I go about setting goals?”
“What do I want to achieve?”
Identifying your ultimate goal is the first step to
achieving it.
When you know what your goal is, you can answer
the question, “How do I get there?”
Final question, “When do I want to get there?”
Join the dots
Set the following Goals
(Short-term)
1. The number you want to get to in 10 seconds
(Medium-term)
2. The number you want to get to in 20 seconds
(Long -term)
3. The number you want to get to in 30 seconds
Types of goals
Goals should be linked to a time frame.
Short-term goals:
Passing grade 11 (up to a year)
Medium-term goals:
Getting a distinction for science in matric (1-3 years)
Long-term goals:
Becoming an engineer (Quite a few years)
Prioritising life goals
You need to decide which of your goals are the
1. Most important to you (central goals),
2. Which ones aren’t as important (peripheral goals).
This will help show you which of your goals need most of your
attention. Some goals may have to be sacrificed.
EG. If your top priority is to become a doctor, ‘getting married’
may have to be postponed (secondary goal) because of time
and financial constraints.
Personal values and the choice of
goals
Choosing goals will reveal to you what is most important
to you, and the values you cherish.
Ask yourself the following questions, to find the underlying
values:
❖Make a difference or have a comfortable life?
❖Married/family or successful career?
❖High morals or rich/wealthy?
❖What people think of me or my individuality?
Planning
When you have a better idea of when and where you
want to go in life, you need to plan on how you will
get there.
Divide long-term/difficult goals into smaller, more
manageable STG’s.
It is like designing a road map. You need a starting
place and a destination, and a route of how you will get
there.
Qualities of a good plan
Realistic: Attaining your goal must be within reach.
Flexible: It is not rigid and can be modified
Time-bound: You must be able to achieve your goal
within a given time.
Suitable: The plan suits your strengths and
weaknesses, as well as your unique circumstances.
Problem solving skills
As part of planning, you need to look at possible obstacles, and use
problem-solving skills to address them.
Do a SWOT analysis of each of your life goals
EG. SWOT analysis of getting into university:
Strength: Your good performance in the necessary subjects
Weakness: Your financial situation; you may not have the money
Opportunities: The availability of different bursaries or study loans
Threats: The possibility that you may not qualify for one of the
bursaries
Necessary personal traits
There are certain traits and personal qualities that can help
individuals achieve their goals.
• Perseverance: You’ll keep trying
• Persistence: Doing things in a determined way
• Hard-working: Investing time and energy into achieving
a goal.
• Focus: “Keeping your eye on the ball”
• Determination: Willpower and sense of purpose
• Self-discipline: Practicing self-control
• Excellent time management
• A positive attitude
Goal setting:
“If we did all the things that we are capable of doing, we would literally astound
ourselves” – Thomas Edison
When we set goals, we need to make sure that they are
SMARTER goals.
S – Specific: Make sure your goals are specific and detailed
M – Measurable: Will you be able to tell when you have
achieved your goal?
A – Accepted: Share your goals with other people with the
same plan.
R – Realistic: Is it in your control to achieve the goal?
T – Time phased: The goal must have a time frame.
E – Exciting: Make your goal exciting because then it will
inspire you.
R – Record: Write your goal down, and steps to achieve it.
Dear Me…
You will have time to start this activity in class and finish it for homework.
Bring it back to class in an envelope with your name and surname on it. Your
teacher will return this letter to you in the last LO lesson of the year.
Instruction:
Write a letter to yourself that you will read at the end of the year. Be specific
and include details of the goals that you would like to achieve this year. You
can include short term goals.
Choose to focus on the following areas:
❑ Relationships with friends/family
❑ Academic goals
❑ Sports/Health goals
❑ Value goals
Finish your letter off with an oath to yourself that you won’t make bad
choices this year that will impact you achieving your goals.
Activity
1. Define goal setting. (1x2)(2)
2. List the qualities of a good plan. (4x1)(4)
3. Differentiate between central and peripheral goals.
(2x2)(4)
4.Conduct a SWOT analysis for a long-term goal such as
becoming a medical doctor. (4x1)(4)
5. Discuss TWO reasons why it is important to have
multiple life goals rather than focusing on just one. (2x3)(6)
6. Critically evaluate the importance of perseverance and
persistence in achieving life goals. (2x4)(8)
7. Assess the negative and positive impact of sacrificing
peripheral goals for central goals. (2x3)(6)
How to answer (2x3) and (2x4)
When answering a (2x3)(6) question do the following:
▪ Provide two separate reasons/ paragraphs.
For each reason do the following:
▪ Provide a statement
▪ Qualify that statement
▪ Provide an outcome
When answering a (2x4)(8) question do the following:
▪ Provide two separate reasons/ paragraphs.
For each reason do the following:
▪ Provide a statement
▪ What does your statement mean
▪ Qualify that statement
▪ Provide an outcome
Answers to activity
1. Goal setting is the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a person
or group toward achieving a specific goal.
2. Realistic, Flexible, Time-bound, Suitable.
3. central- goals that are most important to you, that need most of your attention/focus.
Peripheral- goals that aren’t as important, can be postponed/ sacrificed.
3. - Having multiple goals provides alternatives and keeps motivation alive when one is
presented with challenges and focusing on one goal can create pressure or disappointment if
that goal is not achieved. If one goal becomes unattainable due to unforeseen
circumstances, individuals can be able to shift their focus to other goals. This reduces
feelings of failure or disappointment and lead to a more positive outlook on life.
- It allows for individuals to explore different interests and passions. This can lead to a
more fulfilling life as achieving goals in various areas contributes to satisfaction and
happiness. If one area stalls other goals provide motivation and sense of purpose.
4. SWOT analysis for becoming a medical doctor:
Strengths: Strong science grades, discipline.
Weaknesses: Limited financial resources.
Opportunities: Scholarships, mentorship programs.
Threats: High competition, stress during preparation.
Cont…
6. -Perseverance helps individuals push through tough times, maintaining
focus on their goals despite difficulties. This helps to strengthen individuals
problem solving-skills as they often acquire new skills and knowledge along the
way meaning they will be able to overcome challenges they might face.
Overcoming challenges boosts confidence levels, making individuals more
willing to tackle even bigger goals.
-Persistence helps individuals to keep on pursuing a goal even when the
progress seems slow, it shows that an individual is dedicated and committed
towards achieving a goal. This develops discipline as it teaches individuals how
to withstand frustration and uncertainty, creating a mindset that is geared
towards long-term achievement rather than immediate gratification.
7. Positive-By sacrificing peripheral goals for central goals, individuals can
channel their attention and resources to central goals. This increases time,
energy being spent on achieving a goal and increases focus. Increase in focus
leads to clearer decision making and more effective execution, ultimately
resulting in better outcomes and sense of accomplishment.
Negative- Focusing solely on central goals may lead to neglecting other
important aspects of life. An individual may neglect relationships, their health
or personal development resulting in broken relationships or health issues.
This imbalance may result in stress, burnout or dissatisfaction in other areas.
