The Three Kinds of Goals That Help You Get Things Done While Feeling Good

Having goals is an important part of any process. Goals tell you where you want to go and give you the fuel to get there. 

But sometimes, the goal-setting and goal-getting processes feel like struggles. We feel overwhelmed, we find ourselves coming up short, or we aren't sure where to focus our time and attention.

Part of the reason why this happens is that we think of goals in a really general sense so that they encompass everything that we want to experience and have happen. ​

By being a little more specific about the kinds of goals we are setting, we can start to act more intentionally. In particular, there are three kinds of goals worth paying attention to throughout your test prep process.

​Today's video is about clarifying the three different kinds of goals that you set. Having clearly identified the three kinds of goals, you can start to see how they interact with each other and begin to use all three more effectively. Perhaps, you'll see how one kind of goal in particular has tripped you up in the past or how you need to start rebalancing the three different types of goals. 

There's one problem that I didn't raise in the video, and that's the problem of identifying your goals. Theoretically, for this conversation to be most relevant, you have to have some sense that you want something, even if you aren't quite sure what that something is.

You probably know more about where you want to go than you may realize. As we move through life, we are constantly experiencing contrast: some of what we like, and some of what we don't like. When we have an experience that we don't want, we ​automatically  get a clearer picture of what we do want. Feel frustrated that your teachers seem to ignore you? You know that in college you're going to want to gravitate more toward small classes vs. large lectures. Feel bored by all the required classes in high school? You will want to look for colleges with programs that are specific to your interests and/or perhaps colleges with fewer liberal arts requirements. Someone is rude to you? You know that you want to be around people who treat you with kindness and compassion and you know that you want to treat others with that same kindness and compassion (and maybe you want to learn how to get over your frustration with that person's treatment more quickly).

So, in a sense, goal setting is actually quite easy. Just live your life and take stock of how you feel throughout the various experiences.

But, in practicality, the college admissions process can feel overwhelming in terms of goal setting. Maybe you're a junior and still not sure of what college you want to go to or what score would put you in a good position within that unknown school's admissions process. 

To this, I refer back to the previous idea that we discover our goals through experiences. So if you feel like you are completely lacking clarity, maybe it's time to go have new experiences! Whether those experiences come from reading a book about different college options, talking to people you know who already attend college, or actually going on college visits, whether they come from taking a practice SAT & ACT, cracking open a prep book and reviewing grammar rules, or reaching out to a test prep coach (Hi, there!) or college consultant, new experiences will give you new clarity about your current goals or the goals that you are looking to set.

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If you like the video, please click over to YouTube where you can “like” it and subscribe to my YouTube Channel, and be sure to share the video and this post with friends!

Want more guidance? Here are a few resources you might consider:

• Acing It! A Mindful Guide to Maximum Results on Your College Admissions Test: 
  My book, in which I walk you through all the steps of the test prep process from beginning to end.
• Test Prep Coaching Package: 
  Work with me for 12 sessions to get your SAT or ACT prep into top shape! Includes a review of what you need to know for the SAT or ACT using my Math and Grammar outlines, opportunities to take and review official SATs and ACTs, and opportunities to learn mindset and study habits that facilitate top performance.
• Mindset Coaching Package:
  Work with me for 10 sessions to learn mindset and study habits that will facilitate top performance on the SAT, ACT or other challenges. ​
• Test Prep Power Up: 
  Work with me for a single coaching session. Come with any questions you have about how to perform better on the SAT and ACT. Includes the opportunity to take and review an official SAT or ACT.

Or contact me with a question you’ve been grappling with so that I can help in a future blog.

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