Setting and Achieving GoalsSetting and Achieving Goals

Drug Free SchoolDrug Free School

• Conducted survey for a Conducted survey for a local school funds from the local school funds from the Drug Free Schools Act.Drug Free Schools Act.

• Drug use low but not zero.Drug use low but not zero.• Set achievable goal.Set achievable goal.• Percent Reduction but Percent Reduction but

unlikely school would ever unlikely school would ever be “drug free”. be “drug free”.

Reaction of PrincipalReaction of Principal

• Principal very Principal very unhappy with me.unhappy with me.

• ““If they can land a If they can land a man on the moon, man on the moon, we can have a drug we can have a drug free school.”free school.”

• Preferred a lofty Preferred a lofty goal that makes a goal that makes a good slogan. good slogan.

Importance of goal settingImportance of goal setting

• Mobilizes effort.Mobilizes effort.• Increases commitment.Increases commitment.• Know when they’ve been achieved.Know when they’ve been achieved.• Reward for a reaching a milestone.Reward for a reaching a milestone.• True for group and individual goals.True for group and individual goals.

Post-graduation plans.Post-graduation plans.

• Go right to work.Go right to work.• Pursue further education.Pursue further education.• Best to try out plans while Best to try out plans while

still on campus.still on campus.• Internship or CO-OP.Internship or CO-OP.• Example: internship as Example: internship as

drug and alcohol drug and alcohol counselor.counselor.

• Switch major to CJ.Switch major to CJ.

ToteTote Model ModelTTest est OOperate perate TTest est EExitxit

TEST OPERATE TEST

Compare present state with ideal state

Act on environment to realize ideal state

If incongruous (not agree)

If congruous

(agree)

EXIT

Tote ModelTote Model

webpage Update web Test web

Compare present state with ideal state

Act on environment to realize ideal state

If incongruous

If congruous

EXIT

Corrective MotivationCorrective Motivation

• Act to achieve the ideal state.Act to achieve the ideal state.• Change or revise plans as you Change or revise plans as you

progress.progress.• Incongruity a strong motivation.Incongruity a strong motivation.• Mismatch between present and ideal Mismatch between present and ideal

states.states.• ““Discrepancy” similar term. Discrepancy” similar term.

Discrepancy ReductionDiscrepancy Reduction

• Difference between Difference between current GPA and GPA current GPA and GPA required to get into required to get into teacher ed program.teacher ed program.

• You 2.5 Need 2.7You 2.5 Need 2.7• Discrepancy based on Discrepancy based on

external standard.external standard.• Strive to reach goal set by Strive to reach goal set by

another person.another person.

Discrepancy CreationDiscrepancy Creation

• Set your own goals.Set your own goals.• Motivate yourself.Motivate yourself.• Not depending on reaching some Not depending on reaching some

external standard.external standard.• Set up your own exercise plan (Ex: Set up your own exercise plan (Ex:

swim 25 laps, 3 times a week)swim 25 laps, 3 times a week)• Increase laps when goal is metIncrease laps when goal is met• Intrinsic motivation.Intrinsic motivation.

Importance of Setting GoalsImportance of Setting Goals

• People and organizations with goals out People and organizations with goals out perform those who set vague goals or perform those who set vague goals or none at all.none at all.

• Research and intervention projects Research and intervention projects need to examine goals.need to examine goals.

• Need to be clearly defined.Need to be clearly defined.

Drink responsiblyDrink responsibly

• Ad campaigns by Ad campaigns by beer companies.beer companies.

• What is it?What is it?• How will we know if How will we know if

we get it?we get it?• Before beginning Before beginning

campaign, what campaign, what would be would be reasonable goals?reasonable goals?

Campus goalsCampus goals

• Dry campus?Dry campus?• Reduction in binge Reduction in binge

drinking.drinking.• 5+drinks in one sitting.5+drinks in one sitting.• 40% Freshmen now.40% Freshmen now.• 30% after campaign.30% after campaign.• Science based Science based

research.research.

Goal qualitiesGoal qualities

• Goal difficultly (within reason)Goal difficultly (within reason)• More difficult More difficult more effort more effort• Goal specificityGoal specificity• Greater clarity Greater clarity more effort more effort• Goals should be challenging and Goals should be challenging and

specific.specific.

Measurable goalsMeasurable goals

• Need to be able to Need to be able to document progress.document progress.

• Feedback to you.Feedback to you.• Agency who funded you.Agency who funded you.• Renewal of contract.Renewal of contract.• New grant application.New grant application.• Social service agencies Social service agencies

depend on “soft money”.depend on “soft money”.

Goal acceptance.Goal acceptance.

• William Lofquist: Prevention Specialist.William Lofquist: Prevention Specialist.• Youth involvement in planning.Youth involvement in planning.• Youth viewed as Youth viewed as objects, recipientsobjects, recipients or or

resourcesresources..• These viewpoints can positively or These viewpoints can positively or

negatively influence attitudes and the negatively influence attitudes and the quality of motivation within a group.quality of motivation within a group.

Youth as Objects.Youth as Objects.

• The leader is in control The leader is in control and has no intention of and has no intention of letting the youth be more letting the youth be more involved. Conformity and involved. Conformity and their acceptance of the their acceptance of the programprogram

• Control is the main goal. Control is the main goal.

Youth as RecipientsYouth as Recipients

• Leader is still in control but Leader is still in control but asks youth for their ideas and asks youth for their ideas and opinions.opinions.

• Leader knows what's best Leader knows what's best and will make decisions.and will make decisions.

• Leader sets up program.Leader sets up program.• Youth may be able to provide Youth may be able to provide

feedback.feedback.• Leader decides how to Leader decides how to

respond.respond.

Youth as ResourcesYouth as Resources

• Leader shares in a more Leader shares in a more collaborative approach collaborative approach with youth.with youth.

• Leader respects the Leader respects the contribution youth can contribution youth can make to the planning, make to the planning, operation, and evaluation operation, and evaluation of the group. of the group.

• Participation is important.Participation is important.• All are valued.All are valued.

Stakeholder DefinedStakeholder Defined

• Neutral person to hold the money (or Neutral person to hold the money (or "stakes") that have been wagered."stakes") that have been wagered.

• People who will be affected by an People who will be affected by an endeavor and can influence it.endeavor and can influence it.

• A participant in a community A participant in a community mobilization effort, representing a mobilization effort, representing a particular segment of society.particular segment of society.

Need for StakeholdersNeed for Stakeholders

• ““When one has no stake in the way things When one has no stake in the way things are, when one’s needs or opinions are are, when one’s needs or opinions are provided no forum, when one sees oneself provided no forum, when one sees oneself as the object of unilateral actions, it takes as the object of unilateral actions, it takes no particular wisdom to suggest that one no particular wisdom to suggest that one would rather be elsewhere.” would rather be elsewhere.”

• (Seymour Sarason, 1990)(Seymour Sarason, 1990)• Psychologist, expert in education reform.Psychologist, expert in education reform.

Externally imposed goalsExternally imposed goals

• Some situations may not be able to Some situations may not be able to enlist participants in setting goals.enlist participants in setting goals.

• Need to encourage participation.Need to encourage participation.• Psychology Achievement Test.Psychology Achievement Test.• Required to complete degree.Required to complete degree.• Want students to do their best.Want students to do their best.

The Carrot or the StickThe Carrot or the Stick

• Some faculty advocated Some faculty advocated having a passing grade.having a passing grade.

• Retake until you pass.Retake until you pass.• Other faculty wanted to Other faculty wanted to

provide rewards for provide rewards for doing well.doing well.

• Recognition during Recognition during honor’s assembly.honor’s assembly.

Rules for Externally Imposed GoalsRules for Externally Imposed Goals

• 1) 1) Easy to accomplishEasy to accomplish: just need : just need to take test, no passing grade, to take test, no passing grade, convenient times, no charge to convenient times, no charge to student.student.

• 2) 2) Understand needUnderstand need: test important : test important for department evaluation, good for department evaluation, good performance helps department, performance helps department, participation in helping reach goal.participation in helping reach goal.

Rules (cont)Rules (cont)

• 3) 3) CredibilityCredibility: hope student : hope student respect request from faculty, respect request from faculty, support our efforts.support our efforts.

• 4) 4) Extrinsic rewardsExtrinsic rewards: since goal : since goal is external, must reward is external, must reward participation. Honors for top participation. Honors for top scores.scores.

Achieving GoalsAchieving Goals

• Setting goals important.Setting goals important.• In order to be realized, have to develop In order to be realized, have to develop

an action plan.an action plan.• Implementation intentions.Implementation intentions.• How do we intend to implement our How do we intend to implement our

plans to achieve our goals?plans to achieve our goals?

Making wishes come true.Making wishes come true.

• Mental simulations.Mental simulations.• Visualize success.Visualize success.• Book claimed I could become Book claimed I could become

better golfer by imagining hitting better golfer by imagining hitting puts that always went in the hole.puts that always went in the hole.

• Imagining it was as good as Imagining it was as good as practice.practice.

• Picture of author in lounge chair.Picture of author in lounge chair.• Seem reasonable?Seem reasonable?

Mental Simulation on OutcomeMental Simulation on Outcome

• ““In this exercise, you will be asked to In this exercise, you will be asked to visualize yourself getting a high grade visualize yourself getting a high grade on your midterm exam and asked to on your midterm exam and asked to image how you would feel. It is very image how you would feel. It is very important that you see yourself getting a important that you see yourself getting a high grade on the midterm and have high grade on the midterm and have that picture in your mind.”that picture in your mind.”

Mental Simulation on ProcessMental Simulation on Process

• In this exercise you will be asked to visualize In this exercise you will be asked to visualize studying for the midterm exam in such a way studying for the midterm exam in such a way that would lead you to obtain a high grade on that would lead you to obtain a high grade on midterm. As of today and for the remaining midterm. As of today and for the remaining days before the midterm, imagine how you days before the midterm, imagine how you would study to get a high grade on the would study to get a high grade on the midterm. It is very important that you see midterm. It is very important that you see yourself actually studying and have that yourself actually studying and have that picture in your mind.”picture in your mind.”

Mental Simulation StudyMental Simulation Study

• Pham and Taylor, 1999.Pham and Taylor, 1999.• First group focused on outcome: First group focused on outcome:

actually studies less and got poorer actually studies less and got poorer grades thangrades than

• Second group focused on process: Second group focused on process: studied more and got better grades.studied more and got better grades.

• Must have plan of action.Must have plan of action.

Action planAction plan

• When, where, how, and for how When, where, how, and for how long one is to act.long one is to act.

• Accomplishing goals takes Accomplishing goals takes time.time.

• Opens door for distractions and Opens door for distractions and difficulties.difficulties.

• Applying for grad school.Applying for grad school.• Specific plan for doing so.Specific plan for doing so.• How do deal with distractions.How do deal with distractions.

Keeping track of progressKeeping track of progress

• Self-regulation.Self-regulation.• Up to the individual to Up to the individual to

monitor progress and monitor progress and modify plan as necessary.modify plan as necessary.

• Set intermediate goals as Set intermediate goals as milestones along path.milestones along path.

• Timetable with action plan.Timetable with action plan.

Cycle of Self-RegulationCycle of Self-Regulation

Forethought

Goal Setting

Implementation Intentions

Performance

Self-Reflection

Self-Monitoring

Self-Evaluating