Into the Future
Setting Goals
What are my goals?
Everybody has dreams and desires for the future. Dreams about the
future are called goals. Your goals describe what you want to be
doing and who you want to be, later on. Figuring out what your
goals are is important. When you understand who you want to be
and what you want to do, you can then make those things happen.
Before you can make something happen you have to know what you
want. This activity will help you answer the question: What are my
goals? And remember, there are no right and wrong answers. These are your goals!
1.
Think about some things you like to spend time doing, and list them here:
2. How do you feel about school? What are your favorite classes? What do you like best about
school?
3. How well do you do in school? Would you like to do better? Say something about how well
you’d like to do in school.
4. How do you spend your time after school and on weekends? Make a list of five things you
usually do. Then put a * on the items that you enjoy.
5. Have you ever thought about which jobs or occupations might
interest you? List give jobs you think you’d like to have. Do you
think any of those jobs require more education or training after
you graduate from high school? Put a * by the ones that might.
6. Are there issues that you really care about? Maybe you are
concerned about the environment. Or maybe you’re concerned about the way people eat. If you
have issues that concern you, list them here.
7. Everyone is really good at something. What are you really good at? Write it down here. You can
list more than one thing.
8. What do you see yourself doing after high school? Do you think you want to go to college? A
different kind of school? Or the military? What kind of school, if any, or career can you see
yourself attending or pursuing after high school?
Make a Goal Board
Your goals are important! Choose at least one of the goals you
starred in the last activity. Think about your long-, mediumand short-term goals and consider what they – and your
future – might look like.
You can do this activity offline or on your computer. You can
use a piece of paper or tag board if you’d like to work offline.
On your computer, you can use presentation software like
PowerPoint to share what you’ve found in a Google image
search, or you can also use a website like Pinterest.
Pinterest is a sharing site that lets you organize images,
infographics, and web links on a board so you can remember
them later. You might also find inspiration on boards that
other users have created. The site is free, but check with your
parents before you sign up, and make sure not to share any
personal information, like your last name, on any website. You
can see an example of a Pinterest board full of Brad’s goals
here.
1. List each goal you want to work with on your presentation space (paper or computer). You
don’t have to write down the whole goal, you can even just write a few words to represent your
goal. For example, if your goal is to “graduate from Cornell School of Hotel Administration,” you
might just write “attend Cornell”.
2. Collect magazines, images from the Internet, or your own drawings, photographs and
creations. You can use words, poems, or documents that relate to your goals.
3. Create a collage that visualizes your most important goals. These images will help you picture
what the goal will look like when you have achieved it and what you will need to do to get there.
Choose images that demonstrate how you feel about the goals and how you picture them.
4. Take a close look at what you’ve created. How does looking at your goal board make you
feel? What images are most related to achieving your goal?
5. Take a picture of your board and upload or email it to your teacher. Remember, turning in your
assignment doesn’t mean you’re done. Put your board in a prominent place and revisit it, or
3. Create a collage that visualizes your most important goals. These images will help you picture
what the goal will look like when you have achieved it and what you will need to do to get there.
Choose images that demonstrate how you feel about the goals and how you picture them.
4. Take a close look at what you’ve created. How does looking at your goal board make you
feel? What images are most related to achieving your goal?
5. Take a picture of your board and upload or email it to your teacher. Remember, turning in your
assignment doesn’t mean you’re done. Put your board in a prominent place and revisit it, or
check on it online, from time to time. Have you made progress toward your goals? What new
steps might you need to take to make sure one of them happens?
Make it SMART!
You thought about some things that are important to you and you listed 10 goals. You divided those
goals into short-, medium-, and long-term time frames and you created a Goal Board to help you
visualize your most meaningful goals. Now it’s time to get SMART! You’re going to choose one goal
and turn that goal into something that you can really make happen. Just follow these SMART steps!
SMART goals are:
S = specific
M = measureable
A = actionable
R = realistic
T = timely
This is an example of how to turn your goals into SMART goals.
Step 1:ı
Write down your goal.
EXAMPLE GOAL: I’m going to attend the National Model United Nations in New York City in
the next six months.
Step 2:
Answer the questions in the SMART CHART.
Step 3:
Fill in your new SMART goal in the final box. Review your goal.
Do you feel it may be easier to achieve now that you’ve added this information?
My Original Goal Statement
S = BE SPECIFIC!!
Apply the 5Ws + H.
WHO else does your goal
involve?
M = MAKE IT
MEASURABLE!!
Ask questions to measure
success!
A = WHAT ARE THE
ACTIONS?
What will it take to make my
goal happen?
Create questions that
measure your goal. You
can ask:
How big?
WHAT is your goal about?
Almost any goal is achievable
if you’re willing to put the
work into achieving your goal.
Ask yourself:
What will I need to do to
achieve my goal?
How many times?
WHERE does your goal take
place?
WHEN will your goal be
achieved?
How much?
How may I have to change
my life to do it?
How fast?
What am I willing to give up?
WHY do you want to achieve
your goal?
HOW will you make your goal
happen?
Do I have to tweak the goal in
some way to make it
achievable?
R = IS IT REALISTIC?
Does your goal make sense in relation to
everything else going on?
T = MAKE IT TIMELY!
Set a date and don’t be late!
Set your date and work backward. Figure
out what you need to do to make your date:
When do you need to apply?
Does the goal seem worthwhile?
What will you do next to get ready?
Am I the right person for the job?
What will you do in six weeks to be ready?
Will you be ready in time?
My OLD Goal Statement
My NEW Goal Statement
Lesson 1: Introduction to Goal Setting
Assessment
Reading #1
PEE Volume 1: Chapter 1 (Decision Making) + Chapter 2 (Setting Goals).
1.
Which of these is not an example of an opportunity cost?
a. You do not get to act in the school play because you’re too busy studying for your SATs.
b. You decide to open a cleaning service with your best friend right out of high school instead
of going to community college.
c. You decide to skip dinner so you can get to a movie on time.
d. You study in the evening so that you can do your babysitting job after school.
2. In the PACED decision making process, the acronym PACED stands for:
a. • Problem • Artistic • Criteria • Eagerness • Doubts
b. • Position • Athletics • Cash • Evaluate • Dates
c. • Problem • Alternatives • Criteria • Evaluate • Decision
d. • Point of View • Alternatives • Change • Edge Case • Decision
3. LeBron James played for the NBA instead of going to college. Missing college was an example
of a(n) _____________________________
a. opportunity cost
b. paced method
c. pros and cons
d. alternative athletic approach
4. True or False: Knowing how to make good decisions will help you with your personal finances?
a. True
b. False
5. Brad has to decide if he is going to spend some of his college savings on a trip with his baseball
teammates. He’s using the PACED method to make a decision and has to list criteria (the things
that are important to him) so he can make a decision. Which list looks like it might be Brad’s
criteria for deciding how to spend his savings?
a. paying for college; paying rent; playing volleyball; spending time with my cat
b. paying for college; having fun with friends; playing baseball; helping out my Mom
c. having fun; spending time with my girlfriend; relaxing; playing all sports
d. traveling; hanging out with friends; playing video games; star gazing