Goal Theory and MotivationMy short-term goals are outlined in the introduction post are:

• Get certified as a high school teacher. I am starting out in my career as a teacher, and I
  cannot wait to get a classroom to teach.
• As I pursue my MAED, I look forward to making connections with mentors
• Get good grades and complete assignments in time
  These are my long-term goals:
• Graduate from Ashford with a MAED and enroll for a Ph.D.
• Do a short course in the field of special needs. I have developed an interest in his area
  and want to pursue it in details
  My academic goals from the above list include making connections with mentors as I
  pursue my MAED. I identified this goal after studying about CHAMPs, a mentorship program at
  Ashford University. Based on what I learned about their role and purpose in a student’s life, I
  decided to get a mentor to connect with and guide me in my academic journey. Another goal
  entails getting good grades and completing assignments on time. I have been focused on
  completing my courses and getting good grades. Thus, I have a study timetable and study
  throughout the week. Also plan on when to complete all my assignments as well as my peer
  responses to ensure that I get good grades in all my courses. In the long-term, I look forward to
  pursuing a Ph.D. I am passionate about education and want to get enlightened and know as much
  as I can in pertaining to this field. Lastly, I plan on completing a short course on special needs. I
  have developed a passion for this area and want to equip myself with knowledge as well. One of

my professional goals is to create an inclusive classroom environment. That means that I will
work with students with disabilities as well as those without. Therefore, to make my instruction
differentiated and one that means the diverse needs of all my students, I will have to understand
them fully. I think that a short course in special needs will help me achieve as much.
I have an intrinsic motivation for achieving my goals. They are grounded in mastery,
curiosity, and challenge. I feel that achieving these goals will help me achieve mastery in
education. I will become better at what I do because I will have the knowledge required to
perform my tasks. My intrinsic motivation or internal motivators give me a love to learn, a desire
to take on an intellectual challenge, and a love to achieve mastery. This explains why I enrolled
for my masters, and one of my goals is to get good grades in my courses. Getting good grades
will imply that I will have mastered the content being taught in that course. Also, I plan on
enrolling for a Ph.D.; this will be one of the intellectual challenges that I will take because I want
to have a mastery in my practice as an educator. Daniel Pink argues that mastery is a mindset
that requires one to have the capacity to see their abilities as infinitely improvable (Merriam &
Bierema, 2014). He also holds that mastery requires grit, effort, and deliberate practice (Merriam
& Bierema, 2014). My goals depict my desire to achieve mastery. I have a plan and have to put
in the required effort, grit, as well as a deliberate practice to achieve them. My goals and my
motivation have served each other well.
We can motivate ourselves to set appropriate goals and work towards achieving them
through engaging in self-reflection. This way, we will be able to figure out what we want to
achieve academically as well as professionally. We will get motivated by taking a look hard at
ourselves and then identify our strengths, abilities, as well as weaknesses. Self- assessment will
help us set goals that match our ambitions, priorities, as well as ones that will help us get better.

Another way is to find intrinsic motivation. Merriam & Biereman (2014) hold that extrinsic
motivation is derived from external factors, which may include praise from other people and
promotion at the workplace. While extrinsic motivation is good, intrinsic motivation should
dominate the process of setting goals. Intrinsic motivation is internal to a person. It is grounded
in mastery, challenge, and curiosity. These factors should propel us when setting goals. They will
help us in setting relatable goals and achieving milestones in areas that we are passionate about.
I believe that setting goals are sufficient to motivate an individual towards achieving
success. Goals can motivate an individual if they are important, and their achievement adds value
to oneself. The process of setting goals is motivating if the individual has an interest in the
outcome, and that there is relevance, either academically, professionally or at a personal level.
Motivation is key as it ensures that an individual puts in the work, and puts in a deliberate effort
to achieve success. When goals relate to a person’s high priorities, they motivate one to work
diligently towards accomplishing them. When there are commitment and a sense of urgency,
then one is propelled to put in the effort to achieve success.
Goals can be motivating when they are SMART. This implies that they are specific,
measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. When the goa is well-defined and clear, one is
motivated as the path to take is usually very clear. Morale is key to achieving success. As such,
motivation to achieve a goal is there if the goal is attainable, realistic, and measurable. Precise
details such as dates and amounts are key in ensuring that one understands exactly what it will
take in terms of time and other resources to achieve success. When one sets relevant goals, they
get direction in their academic and career life. They are aligned to a person’s internal factors, and
thus there is intrinsic motivation to achieve the goals and, consequently, success.

Overall, success can be achieved if the goals set are motivating. The process of setting
goals should also entail an action plan that clearly shows what will be done and the expected
outcome. The outcome is usually the success itself. By writing down the goals and a plan to
achieve them, one remained on track and motivated to follow the steps and wait patiently for the
outcome. Most importantly, setting goals is more than wishing for something to happen. It is a
clearly defined process that entails first understanding what one wants to achieve. The odds of
achieving success are increased when the goals motivate an individual to put in the effort, grit,
and deliberate practice.

References

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. Retrieved
from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com