Learning Goals

Do you ever feel a sense of pride and joy whenever you realize something great? Like when you first learn how to play the guitar. When you finally learn how a math equation is done. When you understand why someone isn’t meant to stay in your life for as long as you wanted them to. It gives you that sensational feeling of fulfillment. But you’ll never be able to accept something unless you allow yourself to learn.

If you want to change your life for the better, maybe it’s time to start setting your own learning goals. You can benefit from these academic goals in different ways, whether you’re a student juggling school work with your personal interests or an average human being just struggling to get through life.

Learning Goals to Inspire You

Our time here on earth is limited, and everything remains uncertain until it actually happens. Knowing this, you need to make the most out of every day by learning something from every experience.

Our experiences allow us to grow in certain aspects of our life, giving us a clear pair of eyes to see why things don’t always go the way we want them to. But whether this impacts your academic goals or life goals, the only way for you to learn is to change the way you act in various situations. To give you an idea, here are some inspiring examples of learning goals:

Learning Goals for Students

As a student, learning goes beyond building your knowledge in world history, the laws of gravity, and the sonnets of Shakespeare, as it also centers on your personal values. With that in mind, it’s important to come up with smart goals for learning. The following list is comprised of learning goals that can help you improve as a student:

• Become active in class. As we grow older, we tend to become more passive in class. Scribbling on notebooks, flipping pages and listening attentively, but not exactly absorbing what the instructor has to say. You can break this habit by becoming participative in class discussions and cooperating in group projects. Ask questions when something piques your curiosity and don’t hesitate to reach out whenever you need help on a subject you’re struggling with. Not only can this help you academically, but it can also develop the necessary skills for your career in the near future.
• Pay attention and take notes when necessary. Sit straight, clear your mind, and listen to your instructor. You see, there’s a huge difference between hearing and listening, where the latter matters a lot more than the former. We all have the tendency of getting lost in our train of thought while in class, so to avoid this, try taking down notes. This can help you focus on the topic being discussed and prepare you for upcoming quizzes and exams. This also ensures you don’t end up dozing off during a lengthy class discussion.
• Study beyond what your professor teaches. One of the best ways to learn is to not limit yourself to what is taught within the four walls of the classroom. Go to the library. Do your own research. Expand your knowledge on a topic by allowing yourself to think beyond what is repeatedly taught in school. You’ll come to find that there is more to science and history than what school textbooks manage to tell us. Go on a quest to discover the world we live in from various perspectives.
• Take a class that’s not part of your major. If we need to be honest about it, most of us take certain classes for the sole purpose of earning the needed credit. But even if you have that as your excuse, it would still be best to make the most out of the semester by taking classes that allow you to learn something new and different. This doesn’t mean you should choose something relatively easy, as you don’t want to waste your resources on a class that won’t matter when the year is over. Challenge yourself by enrolling in classes outside of your major. You’ll also get the opportunity to meet new people and take on new obstacles.
• Join a club or any after-school activity. The people you meet in high school and college all have their own unique set of interests. Fortunately, there are various clubs that are formed to gather people who are like you. You could sign up for the athletics team, join the drama club or even be a part of the poetry club. With the help of these clubs, you get to explore your potential, meet people who share the same interests as you, and gain new ideas on matters that have become a significant part of your life. This can serve as a breather from all the book reports, projects, and deadlines that fill your daily schedule.

Learning Goals in Life

Nothing in life is perfect, but we can always learn how to make something as perfect as it can be. What changes is our perception and attitude towards it, allowing us to realize that we live in an endless cycle of learning how life goes? We develop personal development goals to become a better version of ourselves as each day passes. But to live your life to the fullest, you first need to understand how having learning goals can change how you see the world.

Treat everyday differently. Every day is different. Each day of your life is an adventure waiting to be discovered. That being said, treat every day as if it’s your last. There’s always something new to learn, whether it’s a feature on your phone that you never knew existed or a tear-jerking story of how your grandparents fell in love amidst the war. The little details you learn about a person, an object, or an event in time are something that can impact your life one way or another.

• Consider every mistake as a lesson. You may have heard this a million times before, but it’s important for you to learn from your mistakes. As much as you want to forget about what has caused you pain and regret at a certain point in time, you must find the lesson in every chapter before you decide on turning the page. This can help you overcome different obstacles and act accordingly to prevent history from repeating itself. While you may not understand it now, you’ll come to realize the answer to your questions was right in front of you all along.
• Be a mentor and a protégé at the same time. You may have a younger sibling, a child or a colleague who looks up to you in many ways. With all that you have learned in life, you may want to consider this as an opportunity to become a mentor. You may not see yourself as an expert in anything, but your experiences in life say otherwise. So be that person who can help others grow, and in this process, you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself and the people around you. But always remember, you’ll continue to learn new things every day until you take your last breath. So, be a teacher and a student at the same time, because life’s too short to live idly.
• Accept challenges wholeheartedly. Sometimes, we just want to run away from our problems. But what we don’t realize is how these problems may continue to haunt us until we learn to overcome them at our own pace. Instead of acting cowardly, learn to see each challenge as a blessing. Don’t waste your days avoiding everything that troubles you, as this will only follow you wherever you go. You will grow with every challenge met and learn from every risk taken.
• See the good in everything. Lost your favorite pair of shoes? Maybe it’s a sign to buy a new one. Even the little things in life come to us with a purpose and are bound to leave when that purpose is done. It’s difficult to see the good in everything, especially when our mind is blinded by what we feel. Don’t pressure yourself into believing that everything is okay, but learn to accept everything for what it is. You won’t realize it right away but as time passes, you’ll learn to find the good even during the bad days.

What you Need to Know about Setting Goals

Goal-setting can be quite the chore, but it’s also a great way for you to learn more about yourself. You see, there are things that you want, and there things that you are passionate about as well. To determine your goals, you need to reflect on where you want to be and who you hope to become. You can start writing your goals down to make it seem all the more real. Take the time to read each item on your list, then define these accordingly. It’s not enough to just write what you wish to achieve, as you also need to have an idea of how you could get there. This serves as a reminder to keep going even during the toughest times.

The goals you set can belong to either of the two categories: short-term goals or long-term goals. It’s not hard to tell these two apart, as short-term goals tend to be attainable within a few weeks, a month, or a year like an annual goal, while a long-term goal could take about five years or more to fulfill. Think of a long-term goal as the big picture with a short-term goal being a significant piece of the puzzle.

If there’s one thing you must keep in mind when setting goals, it is to keep them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (also referred to as S.M.A.R.T.). Smart goals ensure that the plans you set out for yourself are realistic and a reflection of your lifestyle and values. Finding goals that suit your interests is essential, considering how a goal demands time and effort to achieve. You need to make sure your saving goals give you the motivation to get up each morning with the same enthusiasm as the last. This also gives you clarity and focus, allowing your mind and body to condition itself to work harder.

The best learning goal you can have is to keep yourself involved in every conversation, in every milestone, and in every situation life brings you. Our endeavors are a huge part of the experience. After all, it’s not just about what you can achieve, but it’s about the lifelong journey getting there. You aren’t really living unless you learn something from every event in your life, whether this has caused you heartbreak or fulfillment. Life is one scary roller coaster ride, and how you respond to these ups and downs shapes who you are as a person.