5 Reasons Your Kids Need Goals and Tips for Setting Them

Call me crazy, but I have always loved January. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season are behind us and a crisp, quiet month is ours for the taking.

I also happen to be a list addict! If I can write it down, I have a far better chance of achieving it. I've been keeping lists and journals since I was a young girl. I even save my journals so I can review and revel in the progress I've made. At the beginning of the year, I start a new journal and list my desired goals. 

A 2011 analysis of goal setting research in the International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration said:

Research supports predictions that the most effective performance seems to result when goals are specific and challenging, when they are used to evaluate performance and linked to feedback on results, and [when they] create commitment and acceptance.

Of course, this research was aimed at goal-setting for adults in the workplace. But parents can also use these findings to help their children set goals that will not only encourage them to stay motivated but also to begin building a vital skill they'll use throughout their lives. Here are five reasons that will inspire you to cheer your child on to mastering goal setting.

Goals give life meaning and direction

Have you ever driven to the grocery store or office and arrived without remembering much at all about how you got there? I sure have. I'll park the car and realize I was mindlessly going through the motions. Might there have been a more efficient route with fewer traffic headaches? Who knows? I was operating on auto-pilot.

That's what it's like to navigate through life without any goals. You're functioning, but without a real purpose. When we teach our kids about goal setting, we help them break out of auto-pilot mode and become proactive about finding true meaning and direction in their life.

Meaningful goals should make your heart race with excitement. Offer to brainstorm with your child about all the things she enjoys doing. Let her pick out a whimsical journal to jot down everything she's passionate about. Make this a fun process! It doesn't have to be done in one sitting. Encourage her to spend time with it. After all, it's her life! These creative pages can be the starting point for some inspired goals that are fueled with purpose. 

Goals foster motivation

One of the best reasons to have written goals is that they can be a continuous source of motivation. They are a...

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