Goals and Motivation
Stop and Think!
Think about a time that you accomplished something that was important to you. This can be a big goal (graduation, buying a house/car, learning a new skill/language, etc.) or something smaller but still significant (earning a good grade in a class, achieving a major goal in a video game, creating something). Write down your responses to these questions.
- How did you feel when you accomplished your goal?
- What obstacles stood in your way?
- How did you overcome those obstacles?
- What advice would you give to someone else who wants to accomplish this goal?
What is Your Passion?
- Why are you in college?
- Why are you taking the courses you are taking?
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Passion
Some of our motivation is internal, coming from our own values, priorities, and interests. Other motivation is extrinsic, coming from external factors like financial concerns, family priorities, and societal expectations.
- What motivates you? Money? Success? Love of learning?
- Which type of motivation leads to more success in college?
- Which of these seven reasons to attend college best describes why you are here?
1. To be able to get a better job
2. To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas
3. To become a more cultured person
4. To be able to make more money
5. To learn more about things that interest me
6. To get training for a specific career
7. To prepare for graduate or professional school
The “WOOP” Process
Wish: To obtain a college degree
- Associate degrees may be earned at a community college or technical school and usually require approximately 60 credits. How many credits are you taking?
- Most bachelor’s degrees will require the completion of approximately 120 credits. What are your transfer plans?
- Master’s degree programs require completion of 30 and 60 credits.
- A doctorate degree is the highest degree available to earn in many fields. Also called a “terminal degree,” this signals achieving the highest level of academic mastery in some disciplines. Are you thinking about earning a master’s degree or doctorate? Why or why not?
Outcome
- What does your life look like when you reach your ultimate education goal?
- How does the life you envision compare with your life today?
- What are the long-term rewards?
Obstacles
“Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things.”– Randy Pausch
- Every path we choose involves an “opportunity cost.” This means that we are giving up other things in the pursuit of that goal. What is the “opportunity cost” of college for you?
- What are some things that might get in the way of college success?
Plan
- What are some things you can do to prepare for and overcome those obstacles?
- When things get hard, what will you do?
How can you stay motivated?
1. Connect to your values.
2. Find your WHY.
3. Change your WHY.
4. Change your HOW.
5. Find a meaningful metaphor (for example, as yourself, “What’s my theme song?”)
6. Set time for eating, sleeping, and exercising.
7. Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
The above list was curated from Meier, J.D. (2016, March 18). 15 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Others. Time. https://time.com/4262774/motivation-ways/.
