Persistence & Goal Setting in Children
When I ask students in my classroom to write down their personal goals for the school year, I often hear things like: “Get good grades!” “Make new friends!” “Make a sports team!” Then, when I ask them how they plan on doing that, there is question written on their face as to exactly how they intend on making that happen.
It has become a real challenge, in particular for kids in this generation, to put technology aside and come to their own realization that “persistence with a plan” is the pillar of great success. How, then, do we help kids get there?
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Start with a daily routine
Help your child devise a plan as to what they want (or need) to accomplish. This starts by setting a daily routine for obtaining specific goals. For instance, put the tasks on a calendar and make it a norm — what they need to do, when they need to do it, and where they will take action to make it happen. For example, help set a specific time and place for them to do homework, chores, and hone skills necessary for achieving specific goals.
Create measurable goals
It is also important to equip a child’s environment with the necessary resources that would support their goals and foster motivation. Setting small, attainable goals builds a child’s confidence. Helping a child write down specific goals to achieve – how much and by when on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis – brings forth a visual aspect that creates awareness to the rate of progress being made and any changes that should be implemented along the way. Once goals have been reached, have a child cross them out. This gives a child a sense of achievement, which can later propel them forward in the face of greater obstacles.
Be Persistent and Determined
Change is often met with resistance. In any great plan of action, there is a strategy to prepare for any setbacks and obstacles. The pure joy of overcoming adversities and obstacles gives children the confidence and encouragement they often need to continue pursuing a goal, as difficult as the road may seem. Let’s say your child is taking music lessons. It takes time to master certain skills to play certain pieces. For kids who enjoy sports, they may have to work extra hard to develop a skill that doesn’t come easy to them. The battle is underway and a child who hangs in there long enough, with a goal-oriented plan put into action, will reap the fruits of their labor while also learning firsthand the value of hard work and perseverance.
Former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge once said: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
There is no better time to implement a plan of action to help your child achieve a goal than right NOW! Sprinkle that with a strategy to help them persevere through obstacles and any perceived or real limitations and you have yourself a recipe for accomplishment, satisfaction, and great fulfillment. The sooner kids learn these life skills, the better equipped they will be to tackle the challenges that lie ahead and achieve goals throughout their lives.
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Douglas Haddad, is an award-winning educator and best-selling author. You can go online or to a local bookstore and order his best-selling-book The Ultimate Guide to Raising Teens and Tweens: Strategies for Unlocking Your Child’s Full Potential, you will find specific strategies to help guide your child with time management, setting goals, and motivation to achieve greatness in their life. www.douglashaddad.com [3]
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This post originally appeared on our March/April 2018 Magazine [20]