(1/31) Most people think the beginning of a new year presents an excellent time to set goals. A New Year's resolution can be challenging. Having ambitious goals is good, but many people put them too high. As a college student, you may often struggle to set realistic goals; you already have a heavy class load and are involved in extracurricular activities.
But you don't have to give up on your new aspirations: here are some tips for setting realistic goals while in college that'll help foster a sense of purpose and encourage personal development.
Identify Your Goals
Choosing your aim is the most crucial step to setting realistic college goals. It must be clear academically, professionally, or just for yourself. One or more of these things may be present. But categorizing them into personal, academic, and professional goals would be best. For example, your goal may be to join a highly-ranked university. Therefore, you may have to work hard to achieve your objective.
Depending on your goals, some might be long-term, while others might be short-term. All of them require your attention. Working hard and paying attention to your long-term goals is essential. Besides, it would be best to choose what is more important since you cannot have everything.
Set Priorities
Sometimes you will have to choose which goal is more important in your life based on its value, timeframe, and what good it will do for you in the long run. GATE aspirants, for instance, will need to choose between paid internships and coaching. Although the training might give you experience and may lead to a good campus placement, is that what you're interested in in the long run, or would you rather be at a post-graduate college?
A compromise on one goal for another does not make sense unless you are specific and determined that you will succeed. It would be best if you didn't make your career decision in haste. Consider all your options, analyze them, research, and decide what is best for you. A little discipline, coupled with your determination to achieve your goal, is already half the battle.
Set Your Sights High, But Be Patient
Sometimes failure occurs despite your consistent efforts, determination, and input. There's nothing worse than it. Indeed, not because it keeps you from achieving success, but because it stops you from trying again, which is when you fail. Many legends proved that failure could be an opportunity to start all over and achieve success. Some may include Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, etc.
It just takes a different methodology and a little more effort. It would help if you didn't get demotivated or doubt the goals you set for yourself. Make sure you stay committed to your goals and don't think they are unattainable or need refinement.
Keep Yourself Motivated
The path to your dreams is full of distractions, disturbances, and obstacles. You may see other students enjoy college life, some of whom have already achieved what they desire. Perhaps they didn't set themselves a top goal, maybe they had to work harder than you, or perhaps they didn't set any purpose at all.
Each person is fighting a different battle, and none is comparable. Therefore, it's best to set smart goals that you can achieve at your own pace. You should maintain positive self-motivation while balancing college life and working for the more significant good. But don't compromise your dreams because of external factors.
Leadership By Action
Organize small support groups of people with similar goals. During this session, you will have the opportunity to discuss your doubts and clarify them. You could form a WhatsApp group or join a Telegram channel to accomplish them. Mentors may also be faculty, senior students, or friends who have similar goals and can guide you.
You and everyone else in your company can benefit from this action. College students can interact among themselves, get the latest updates about their field, and more through many portals that provide free interactive platforms. You must be able to learn new things and unlearn old ones.
Conclusion
Whether a student succeeds or fails depends less on how many marks they scored, what placement they landed, or how well they did on a competitive exam. The rest of the world uses these parameters to judge you. The proper measure of student success is how close one can get to their personal goals. So, don't lose motivation! Your dreams will come true if you work hard.
