Expert Voice: Setting goals will help you stay focused

Dear counsellor, I always hear people talk about setting goals. How important is it to have goals in one’s life. I believe this is something I can also embrace. Kindly advise on how I can learn how to set goals and what it takes to achieve them. Yours Benigne A human brain is a goal-seeking organism with an unquenchable desire to pursue dreams of better financial, social, political, spiritual or physical lives. Goals are precious because they provide focus and prompt us to stretch and grow in ways that bring us victory and triumph once we get to achieve them. Whether you have little dreams or haughty expectations, setting goals will allow you to plan how you want to move through life. Some achievements can take a lifetime to attain, while others can be completed within a short period. Whether you are setting broad or specific manageable goals, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and self-worth once you get started and build up to even the lofty dreams. The first step is understanding where you are right now and your current level of satisfaction. This will reveal to you an objective way to look at your accomplishments and pursuit of the vision you have for life. To get your dreams right displayed on the surface, sit down and reflect on the thoughts that move your heart into a state of excitement. A career life goal might be to open your own business or to work with one ground-breaking organisation. A fitness goal might be to become physically and mentally fit. A personal goal might be to have a home or children. These goals can be incredibly broad and the better way is to prioritize them and decide which particular ones are more crucial or time-sensitive. If you find yourself with too many goals, you’ll probably be overwhelmed and less likely to accomplish them. Break the big picture down into smaller and more specific goals to move into action by continuing to explore different things and keep track of your progress until you make them a reality. The pleasure you feel each time you attain one of those goals will inspire you to accomplish even more amazing ones. Standardize your goal-tracking system and don’t be distracted by fear or despair but rather, place your prioritised goals in a more logical framework determined to move forward and suppress every kind of obstacles that may attempt to sabotage your efforts in your goal-achieving process. Give yourself a deadline within a reasonable timeframe and make yourself accountable to it so you could celebrate every kind of milestone accomplished. The more powerful your goals are, the more you’ll be able to act and guarantee that they will actually come to pass. That way, you’ll be right on your way to the shinny dream zone and you’ll ultimately be able to obtain yet more and more incredible goals. **************************************** YOU DEBATE Fanny Umwali, student Fanny Umwali Indeed it’s very important to set goals. Having goals helps to stay focused on what you want to achieve in your life, and helps you to stay in line with your abilities. The best way to set goals is to first determine where you are and where you wish to be. Write down what you want to achieve in a particular period of time. Elvis Kanyankore, varsity Student Elvis Kanyankore Don’t hesitate to embrace the spirit of goal setting; it’s not only effective in academics but even in your social life. Setting goals enables you to deal with your dreams wisely, by helping you to handle them one at a time. Start by listing your priorities and ambitions, and have a time frame as a tool to help you achieve those goals. Janet Mutesi, student Janet Mutesi There is no doubt that goal setting has proved to be indispensable to any successful journey in life. As a student setting goals aids you in measuring your achievements and enables you to see what you have done and what you are capable of. Looking at the results at hand can help you to be more ambitious and confident, thus achieving more. Simply, write down what you want to achieve and stick to it. Diana Ingabire, varsity student Diana Ingabire It is important to set goals and achieve them. Having goals generally improves academic performance, motivation to achieve and self-esteem. As a student, setting goals will enlighten you about where to put more efforts. Goals are a catalyst to success; embrace them. By Dennis Agaba

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Expert Voice: Setting goals will help you stay focused