Goal Setting for Students: Strategies for Academic Success

Without goals to keep us on course, we’re like a boat without a sail—we need a game plan to know where we’re headed. Though it seems like a simple topic, setting effective goals for ourselves can be tricky, especially for students. Too often, high schoolers put high expectations on themselves and feel disappointment or low self-esteem if they’re not met. On the other hand, students may not be challenging themselves enough by setting surface level goals that don’t unlock their full potential. So how can we help students make actionable, realistic goals that push them to be their best selves? And why does effective goal setting matter?

The Benefits of Goal Setting

Enhanced Motivation. Studies show that people who set goals for themselves are more likely to be motivated and focused in their tasks.¹ Not only that, but goal setting helps promote intrinsic motivation, helping students become inwardly driven to succeed.²
Performance Improvement. Setting clear goals can help us perform at higher rates in all facets of life.³ Whether it’s a project for school or a work deadline, a challenging goal creates a competitive, inner drive that moves us forward.
Emotional Well-Being. Especially when our intentions are aligned with our values, setting and achieving goals can increase positive self-image and overall life satisfaction. Not only that, but goal setting can improve mental health in therapeutic contexts.⁴
Positive Habit Changes. In our busy world, setting goals can sometimes force us to change our habits. To make time to achieve our goal, we’re forced to look at our day, swap out our habits that aren’t serving us, and make better use of our time.

How to Set SMART Goals

Setting intentions for ourselves might seem easy, but not all goals are created equal. Too often we create nonspecific and vague goals for ourselves that are easy to abandon. That’s why teaching students about SMART goals is one of the best strategies for life-long success.

Specific

A goal shouldn’t be ambiguous. If a student wants to start a reading habit, prompt them to change I want to read more to I want to finish a chapter of reading every day. This clears up any vagueness so students can know exactly what they want to achieve.

Measurable

Knowing when a goal is complete creates clarity. Instead of simply saying I’ll read after school, students can decide: I will read for one hour after school. This gives the goal a clear start and finish. Not only that, but it can prompt students to feel more accomplished once their task is completed.

Achievable

Sometimes if our goals are too lofty, it can make us lose motivation. A goal like I will read 20 books this month is difficult compared to I will finish one book this week. Using tools of self reflection, students can make sure they set goals that fit them best. Remind them that their goal should feel challenging, yet possible.

Relevant

Goals that align with our values are more achievable.⁵ Let students pick goals that are relevant to their interests. For example, if a student is an athlete, eating more nutritious foods is a great relevant goal that aligns with an overall intention to play sports in college.

Time-Bound

A goal limited by time isn’t as stressful as it sounds. Instead, it boosts a healthy competition within ourselves to achieve what we’ve set out. Prompt students to give themselves a personal deadline like I will read 20 books by the end of the year to instill a healthy, inward drive.

Assessing Our Goals

Assessment is another important part of creating effective goals. Here are some practical ways to help students stay focused and make meaningful progress, without getting discouraged.

Measure Progress. Remind students to regularly check in on the process of their goals to stay motivated. Suggest planners, journals, or even habit tracking apps so students can visually stay on track.
Know When to Pivot. New feedback, changing circumstances, and even personal growth can sometimes make it necessary to change our goal. Students shouldn’t see this as failure—a goal should work for you, not against you. Whether a deadline needs to change, or they need to pursue a different goal entirely, remind students that pivoting is normal and can lead to better results.
Celebrate Small Wins. On the way to completing your overall goal, celebrate the little milestones along the way. Whether it’s consistency or overcoming a tough challenge, encourage students and reinforce their motivation to keep going.

With all these combined, we can help inspire students to set up and complete their goals in the most efficient way possible.

Goals have the power to motivate self-image by changing a mindset from I want to achieve X to I am the kind of person who does X.

How to Stick to Our Goals

Even when we create SMART goals, there are still some problems that can arise. Whether it’s a lack of motivation or time, here are some solutions to empower students to see their goal through:

Make the Goal Identity Based

Goals have the power to motivate self-image by changing a mindset from I want to achieve X to I am the kind of person who does X. If a student wants to become a disciplined person, let them brainstorm what they think a disciplined person does. Getting up early, working out, or eating healthier becomes easier when it’s not stemmed from what we want to do, but who we want to be.

Create Accountability

Telling people in our life about our goals can hold us responsible.⁶ For example, if a student wants to go to sleep earlier, letting family and friends know can increase accountability. To make sure an accountability partner is most effective you can:

Have weekly check-ins. Sharing your process and having an opportunity to set fresh intentions each week can keep goals from becoming stale.
Join or form a group. Involvement in a group can not only increase motivation but create community around a shared goal.
Ask for encouragement, not just reminders. Positive reinforcement from family or friends can make an accountability partner motivating, not stressful.

Rely on Routine

Having a routine in place that supports a goal makes the goal easier to accomplish.⁷ For example, if a student wants to learn a new language, encourage them to create a habit surrounding the goal. Setting up your space for success is also important. Make the goal so obvious that it’s impossible to ignore (e.g., leave study flashcards in backpack or on a desk).

Focus on Process, Not Product

Perfectionism can be a silent killer to our aspirations. If students feel like they’re not further along in their goals, they lose faith in themselves, making their motivation plummet. When setting goals, encourage students to focus on process and less on product. For example, instead of I will make all As this year, a more process based goal would be I will look over my notes every day after school for at least 30 minutes. With this shift, the focus is more on the building of good habits, and not as much on outcome. Studying more will naturally lead to better grades and avoid the feeling of failure if one or two Bs slip on the report card.

Empowering Students Through Purposeful Goal Setting

By setting intentional goals, we’re more likely to accomplish what we’ve set out for ourselves in life. It’s not about perfection—making progress every day on your goals, no matter how small, is enough. That’s why it’s important to introduce students to life skills, so they can set themselves up for success early on. By knowing the strategies to accomplish their dreams, they don’t have to feel guilty if they fail. Instead, students can work through their shortcomings and push themselves to be their best while creating habits that allow them to thrive.

At ERA, we believe success strategies have just as much importance in education as academics. By bringing life skills to the classroom, we become one step closer to helping students maximize their full potential. To learn more about the work we’re doing for education reform, contact us or explore our Life Discovery Curriculum.

P.S. Want SMART goal tips on hand? Download this free, interactive goal-setting PDF for classroom/personal use!

References

Saks, K. (2024). The effect of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals on academic outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1324007 ↩︎
Vansteenkiste, M., Lens, W., & Deci, E. L. (2006). Intrinsic versus extrinsic goal contents in self-determination theory: Another look at the quality of academic motivation. Educational Psychologist, 41(1), 19–31. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep4101_4 ↩︎
Ramnerö, J., & Törneke, N. (2014). On having a goal: Goals as representations or behavior. The Psychological Record, 65(1), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0093-0 ↩︎
Rose, G., & Smith, L. (2018). Mental health recovery, goal setting and Working Alliance in an Australian community-managed organisation. Health Psychology Open, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918774674 ↩︎
Kassas, S., Culot, C., Crombez, G., Smeding, A., Leys, C., Thompson, D., & DeSmet, A. (2022). Study protocol for an adapted personal project analysis to measure vertical inter-goal relations on physical activity and Diet. BMC Psychology, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00931-4 ↩︎
Davis, W. D., Mero, N., & Goodman, J. M. (2007). The interactive effects of goal orientation and accountability on task performance. Human Performance, 20(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327043hup2001_1 ↩︎
Danner, U. N., Aarts, H., & de Vries, N. K. (2007). Habit formation and multiple means to goal attainment: Repeated retrieval of target means causes inhibited access to competitors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33(10), 1367–1379. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207303948 ↩︎