“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” Pablo Picasso

Goal setting can be overwhelming. What do you want to achieve? How can you define realistic goals? Whatever combination of goals we have, they help us see how we can personally and professionally grow in the right direction.

Discover Your Goals

To ensure you are on the right path, you need to realize which goals help get you where you want to go.  Asking yourself questions will support you in this process. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and use your intuition:

  • What have you wanted to do but were afraid to try?
  • What are your most important values right now?
  • What do you most enjoy doing?
  • Where would you like to be in five or ten years?
  • What are some short-term goals that can help you get to your long-term goals?

Make sure to cover all important areas in your life such as education, relationships, personal growth, career and fitness. Spend some time brainstorming and then select one or more goals in each category that best reflect what you want to do. As soon as you have a small number of significant goals that you can focus on, you are ready for the next step.

Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

There are many reasons why goals are not met. A lot of it has to do with how you set your goals. A useful way of making goals more powerful is to make them SMART. SMART is an acronym and means: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. For example, instead of having “speak French” as a goal, it is more powerful to use the SMART goal “To have completed level B2 in French by 31 December 2021.” Setting precise goals and putting in dates, times, and amounts, allows you to know exactly when you have achieved the goal and thus take complete satisfaction from having achieved it. Do not forget to state each goal as a positive statement!

Visualize your Goals

Now is the time to write your goals down to make them feel tangible. When you physically print or write down your goals, you are more likely to commit them to memory.  Think about small things you can do that will help you reach your goals. Here are some ways to visualize your goals:

  • Keep a journal.
  • Write down one sentence that describes the outcome you want. Post this statement somewhere easily visible. This keeps the positive outcome right in front of you.
  • Create a vision board: put together a collection of photographs and images that remind you of your goals and what they mean to you.

Through visualization, you will be able to boost your motivation and decrease the stress you feel as you face new challenges.

Good luck at setting your goals for the new year and remember to have fun with them as well!

…

Do you need help creating your personal learning path? inlingua has 50+ years’ experience in teaching languages in over 200 regions around the world. Get in touch here!

Sources

https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html

Do you want to achieve your language goals? Consistency and structure can be extremely beneficial when it comes to learning a foreign language. But what is efficient structure and how can you implement it in your weekly calendar?

Develop a Consistent Routine

Envision yourself in a few months’ time.

What is your language learning goal and how quickly would you like to achieve a new level? How much time per week can you devote to this goal?

Think about how you can develop a consistent routine, allocating specific time periods for learning. Committing yourself to a weekly schedule has a positive influence on achieving your long-term goal. Ideally, you set aside 2-3 hours at a time and take short breaks every 45 minutes or hour. It can also be helpful to review your notes at the end of each week. Schedule your learning sessions in your calendar.

Identify the Key Areas to Cover

What is the reason behind your language goal? And what skills would you like to focus on?
Whether you need to practice your speaking skills for your job or attain a certain level to be accepted at a University, depending on the goal you have set, you will have different priorities.

At inlingua, we believe that you learn a new language by speaking it. That is why we focus on the oral skills first, followed by improving your reading, listening, and writing skills.

Once you have set your learning objective, your path to reach your goal will be more clearly visible.

Find a Learning Partner or Start an Online Study Group

For most of us, being accountable to ourselves simply is not enough to be committed to learning. If you struggle with procrastination, it can be beneficial to start a new habit with a close friend, colleague, or family member. You will not only have someone with a similar goal to share your next milestones with but also to help you overcome obstacles. That way, you surely will not give up so quickly.

You do not have the option to meet in person? Then you might also want to check if there is an online study group available.

Finally, having a learning partner or belonging to a study group can be a real boost and make learning more enjoyable.

…

Would you like to join a group with the same language goal? inlingua has 50+ years’ experience in teaching languages in over 250 regions around the world. Get in touch here!

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” Pablo Picasso

Goal setting can be overwhelming. What do you want to achieve? How can you define realistic goals? Whatever combination of goals we have, they help us see how we can personally and professionally grow in the right direction.

Discover Your Goals

To ensure you are on the right path, you need to realize which goals help get you where you want to go.  Asking yourself questions will support you in this process. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and use your intuition:

  • What have you wanted to do but were afraid to try?
  • What are your most important values right now?
  • What do you most enjoy doing?
  • Where would you like to be in five or ten years?
  • What are some short-term goals that can help you get to your long-term goals?

Make sure to cover all important areas in your life such as education, relationships, personal growth, career and fitness. Spend some time brainstorming and then select one or more goals in each category that best reflect what you want to do. As soon as you have a small number of significant goals that you can focus on, you are ready for the next step.

Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

There are many reasons why goals are not met. A lot of it has to do with how you set your goals. A useful way of making goals more powerful is to make them SMART. SMART is an acronym and means: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. For example, instead of having “speak French” as a goal, it is more powerful to use the SMART goal “To have completed level B2 in French by 31 December 2021.” Setting precise goals and putting in dates, times, and amounts, allows you to know exactly when you have achieved the goal and thus take complete satisfaction from having achieved it. Do not forget to state each goal as a positive statement!

Visualize your Goals

Now is the time to write your goals down to make them feel tangible. When you physically print or write down your goals, you are more likely to commit them to memory.  Think about small things you can do that will help you reach your goals. Here are some ways to visualize your goals:

  • Keep a journal.
  • Write down one sentence that describes the outcome you want. Post this statement somewhere easily visible. This keeps the positive outcome right in front of you.
  • Create a vision board: put together a collection of photographs and images that remind you of your goals and what they mean to you.

Through visualization, you will be able to boost your motivation and decrease the stress you feel as you face new challenges.

Good luck at setting your goals for the new year and remember to have fun with them as well!

…

Do you need help creating your personal learning path? inlingua has 50+ years’ experience in teaching languages in over 250 regions around the world. Get in touch here!

Sources

https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html