Most students have been told by their school teachers that setting a goal is one of the most important stages to achieving a goal. How can you achieve a VCE goal if it hasn't been set yet? The answer is that you can't!
This article will detail how to set VCE goals and more importantly, will give you a strategy of how to achieve them. VCE goals are important to have as they will give you a direction for your VCE. Humans require a target to follow. If your thoughts are scattered or your goals are unclear, then it is highly unlikely that you will achieve your desired results.
Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to help you determine what your VCE goal is:
-
What are my career interests?
-
What career paths am I not interested in?
-
Who would I like to help in the future through my work?
-
How committed am I prepared to be during my VCE?
-
What tertiary institution am I interested in attending?
-
What is my life goal and how can this relate to my VCE?
These questions will instigate your thoughts and may help you determine the kind of career you would like to pursue, which will in turn determine what ATAR score you will need. Hence this will affect your VCE goal. There is no secret to determining what your goal is, you will need to "dig deep" and go with your gut on this one!
Just a few more things to consider when determining your VCE goal:
-
Your VCE goal is YOUR goal not your friend's or family's goal. It is what you want to achieve, and a little higher than you think you can achieve. This will help stretch you and keep you striving for that goal. Remember you can always do more than you think you can!
-
Make it crystal clear! If it is an ATAR score that you are striving to achieve, for example 99.75, then do not write it as above 99. Be clear and very specific. This will ensure that you are able to target this goal.
-
Ensure that it is a goal you can work a little every day.
Now once you have determined your specific VCE goal, you will need to motivate yourself to strive for it every day so that it can be achieved. The strategy below is all about developing a contingency plan for achieving your VCE goal:
-
Determine your 3 biggest reasons why you want to achieve your goal.
These have to be reasons that will move you. Reasons that will make you want to go for your goal even when times get tough or the results you are receiving do not coincide with your goal. The reasons would usually be larger than just completing my VCE or getting into university. These reasons will have to be your own and need to come from within!
-
Determine the 3 biggest obstacles that have stopped you from achieving your goals in the past.
Have you ever had a goal that you have not achieved? Of course you have, we all have! In this step it is critical that you outline the biggest things that have stopped you from achieving your past goals. If you can outline the obstacles that are in the way, then maybe when they come up again you expect them and can conquer them instead of letting them stop you. This will be covered in step 3.
-
Determine 3 ways of overcoming each obstacle that has stopped you from achieving your goals in the past.
In step 2 you have determined your obstacles, now it is time to determine ways of overcoming them. When finding 3 ways of overcoming each obstacle ask yourself the question; "if this obstacle comes up again, what can I do to continue to strive for my VCE goal?" For example, some students mention that their gaming console affects them achieving their VCE goal because they spend too much time playing games. One way of overcoming this obstacle is to pack the gaming console in a box and give it to your parent or guardian! This is a massive move, but in order to get results sometimes it requires you to make big decisions.
When doing the above 3 steps please note that it could take hours if done correctly. However if it is done correctly then you will be well on your path to achieving your VCE goals. How many students are prepared to do this properly? How many students achieve ATAR scores above 99?
This strategy of setting and achieving your VCE goals is worth every second you spend going through the process. Although it will take a little time to do, it will save you hours during the year where time is critical.
Written by Hanna Farah
TSSM Success Speaker