Motivation & Goal Setting

Temple University

Russell Conwell Learning Center

Office of Senior Vice Provost for

Undergraduate Studies

A THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTION:

What are your passions, or what makes you feel so intrigued and excited that you just can’t get enough of it…• In your academics?• Non-academically?

SO…What are you passionate about?

Goals

Short Term Goals

• Goals that are:• Somewhat small• Manageable within a semester, year, or few years• Able to be accomplished with the background/knowledge

you currently possess

Long Term Goals

• Goals that are:• Larger and more ambitious than short term goals• Might require multiple steps• Manageable several years from now, or after graduation

Keep in Mind…

• Your goals can be any life goals you have• Personal• Leisure• Academic• Career• Etc.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

What are 3 of your short term goals?

What are 3 of your long term goals?

THINK ABOUT THIS…What do you imagine yourself doing 4-10 years from now?• After graduation?• For fun?• What emotions and sense of being do you want to feel? • What do you want your daily life to be like? • Be creative!

FINALLY, ANSWER THIS!

Do you see any connections between your answers for the past several questions? If so, what? • Think about this at the most fundamental level – it still does not

have to correlate with a major yet!

Working Through Your Connections (or lack thereof)

I Have Connections:

• What kinds of careers might you find yourself doing with any of your connections?

• Can you see yourself wanting to do any one thing more than the others? Why?

I’m Still Lost:• Don’t loose hope!• What is the one (or more than

one) thing you wrote down that really resonates with who you are and what you want to do?

• Are there any specific trends?• What can you do to further

explore your passions and goals?

Passions Goals Major Career

• Your passions should hopefully align with your future career in some way or the goals that you have for yourself• Your career should be realistic for your abilities, skills, and

strengths/weaknesses (so should your major)• Your goals should also be somehow related to what you

enjoy doing or what you are passionate about• Your major can be a pathway from your passions to your

career• But this is not always the case! • Don’t be too worried if you are still unsure of your future career or

life, but do continue to do your research!

STILL CONFUSED? WANT TO REFINE YOUR GOALS?

Career Center Website

• http://www.temple.edu/careercenter/• Under “Students”, go to the “Explore” area• Career Coaching• Career Assessment• Your Action Plan• Choosing a Major/Career• Success Stories

NEXT STEPS!What are your next steps in achieving your goals? Be specific and write down a few SMART steps to achieve your SMART goals!

Examples of Academic and Career Steps You Can Take

• Take the Focus II on the Career Center Website this weekend• Meet with a career counselor at the Career Center next

Wednesday• Browse and utilize the online Career Center website to look

at certain careers I am interested in• Talk to Professor ___, who is in my field of interest• Find a scholarship to help pay for my tuition, and apply by

May• Visit the Study Abroad website to determine a list of places I

would like to go during my junior year• Attend tutoring at the RCLC, Writing Center, or MSRC

QUESTIONS?Holly Drutarovsky, Academic Coach

tuc52921@temple.edu