It's the New Year, a time when many of us set (overly?) ambitious resolutions about what we’ll do better this year. Perhaps you’re already thinking something along the lines of “I’d like to do more professional development this year.” Unfortunately, many of these resolutions melt away faster than a light dusting of snow. Setting, maintaining, and progressing on learning goals takes skills and strategies that go beyond just making resolutions.
Setting goals
Before setting out on your learning journey for the year, it is important to have an honest conversation with yourself about your strengths, opportunities for improvement, and long-term goals. What might you already know, but need a refresher on? What skills will propel you forward? What knowledge will set you apart? Many people, for example, find themselves looking for ways to learn about and integrate emerging technologies into their day-to-day work.
Once you know where you are aiming, it is important to be specific. Research on goal setting has found that the more concrete you can be with your goals, the easier it is to commit to them and to stick with them. Frameworks like SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—can help you think carefully about your plans. For example, if you wanted to start learning about programming, you might develop the following SMART goal:
- Specific: Complete an online introductory programming course covering the fundamentals of Python and JavaScript.
- Measurable: Successfully complete all modules and quizzes with a minimum score of 80%.
- Achievable: Allocate five hours per week to study and practice coding exercises.
- Relevant: Use the skills to build a program that automates a small part of my work day.
- Time-bound: Complete the course within the next 10 weeks.
Making progress
Of course, actually sticking to those plans can still be tough. It is important to remember that consistent progress is the key. Create effective routines that let you spend a manageable amount of time and effort every week. Trying to dive in and get everything done right away can lead to burnout and uneven progress that ultimately decreases your motivation and likelihood to succeed.
One research-based tip to help with establishing these routines is called an implementation intention. The idea is to create an automatic rule you’ll follow if certain triggers or obstacles occur. For example, saying “I’ll spend five hours studying each week” can quickly fall apart if work becomes more stressful or social opportunities you weren’t expecting pop up. An implementation intention like “I will do my readings and watch instructional videos at 7 p.m., after dinner, on Mondays” sets a specific starting point and trigger, which can help a person who might otherwise wait until their motivation kicks in and tells them to do it.
You can also create implementation intentions to navigate specific blockers you can predict. If you know your friend is going to text you one the latest episode of The Bachelor is over, but you’ll be studying for your course’s midterm, plan to turn off your phone or text them letting them know you’ll be busy that evening.
Maintaining motivation
Keeping this sort of behavior going for a sustained period of time requires ways to manage your motivation and emotions. Some research-backed ways to do this include setting milestones and rewarding yourself for achieving them. For example, you can establish a reinforcing ritual, like making yourself a certificate of completion each week and putting it up somewhere you can see it. Consider having an accountability buddy, someone who you can talk to about your progress and who can celebrate your continued efforts. Many people choose to reward themselves with a special meal or treat. Whatever incentive you can come up with, make sure to be clear what it will take to earn it.
As you set these routines and checkpoints, try to focus on progress more than on performance. Research on growth mindset has found that people who believe they are improving their own abilities as they learn are more likely to persist through challenges and achieve their goals. So, try to focus less on grades or scores, and focus more on your own personal development. Maybe you only got an 85 on the coding exercises, which leaves room for improvement, but remember, you may not have known anything at all about coding just a few weeks ago! As you go back over those exercises and see what you could have improved, notice how much better you’ve already gotten.
At this time of year, it is tempting to look ahead and picture yourself next December, reflecting on your year of achievements. The reality is that getting there is all in the day-to-day steps you take. Use SMART goals to give you direction, use implementation intentions to keep on track, and celebrate small wins to keep the momentum alive. Here's to a pragmatic, research-based approach to reaching your goals—one that acknowledges the climb as much as the summit. Happy goal-setting and happy learning!
