During the last few weeks, our neighbourhood turned purple. Brunfelsias peeped over the fences that Petrea climbed; Wisteria hung from trellises and Jacaranda splashed the skyline. These plants had been placed in suitable soil, watered, fertilised, trimmed, shaped and nurtured. As a result, a glorious display of mauve and purple flowers is the reward for gardeners at this time of year.
Each season provides a different display of blooms, and each term provides an opportunity to grow, to achieve and to flourish. Fourth term is the culmination of the year for students and provides an opportunity to show all that has been learnt throughout the year. This term is especially important for students who will sit their final exams. To achieve their best, students must establish goals at the start of term, steadily implement these goals throughout the term in order to “bloom" at the end of term.
Sonja Lyubomirsky, has identified a list of powerful benefits associated with setting goals. Establishing goals gives us a sense of purpose and control; adds structure and meaning to our daily lives; bolsters our self-esteem; helps us to feel confident and capable of achievement; allows us to master our use of time by subdividing big goals into subgoals and developing a schedule to accomplish them; enables us to continue striving at times of difficulty or crisis and to engage with others in accomplishing our goals.
Intrinsic goals are the most powerful. These are meaningful goals in which we are personally involved and we pursue them because we know we will find the outcome satisfying and rewarding. Goals that lead us to approach a desired outcome, as opposed to avoiding an undesirable outcome, are most effective. This means that goals that focus on avoiding failure in an exam will not be as effective as a goal that focuses on a specific positive outcome in that exam.
Goals that focus on activities that we can do in the pursuit of these goals are more likely to bring about change and create a positive outcome. Flexibility is also important. Circumstances can change and we need to be able to adapt our subgoals in particular to accommodate these changes. This doesn't mean that we give up our main goals, but we may have to be flexible in how we implement them.
Authentic goals that are based on an individual's interests and values – those that “fit" with our personality – are the ones that help us to feel good when we are pursuing them. Similarly, goals that are harmonious work together. They build on each other to achieve a great result. It doesn't work if we have several goals that conflict with each other.
Setting goals is critical for success, but having goals alone is not sufficient. Goals have to be implemented on a daily basis if we are to achieve these goals. Brunsfelsia flowers change each day from white to mauve to purple. The common name for this plant is “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Virginia Satir makes it clear that it is important to take action now when she wrote “The future starts today, not tomorrow."
© Michele Juratowitch
michele@clearingskies.com.au