Your Life Goals: Not Much Different from a Course Objective

Setting goals is a vital part of our everyday lives. However, I often reflect on the nature of these goals. When I start planning my tasks for the day, week, month, year. I catch myself saying, “I will be able to…” or “I will understand…” These phrases may be useful sometimes, but they don’t truly reflect what I want to accomplish. Instead, they should center on what I can do. This realization has led me to think more deeply about learning objectives and why they should focus on actionable outcomes.

The Difference Between Knowing and Doing

I've begun to see a clear difference between knowing something and doing something. For example, it's one thing to grasp the basics of cooking. It's entirely different to whip up a full meal without relying on a recipe. Recognizing this gap has changed how I set my course objectives. When I shift my thinking from “I will know…” to “I will do…,” I feel more in control. This shift turns passive learning into active participation.

When I decided to learn instructional design and get my multiple certifications, I didn’t just want to understand the theory. Instead, I set actionable goals. I initially wanted to give customer service representatives real life scenarios as if they were actually doing the job. This then led to the start of my career sixteen years ago. Wow, my career can drive a car! So, was my objective to learn instructional design? or was it actually to build courses that led others to do the task at hand? Exactly.

The Power of Action-Oriented Goals

Setting goals rooted in action has multiple benefits. First, it clarifies expectations. Second, it fosters a results-driven mindset. For instance, rather than stating, “You will understand the basics of Excel,” the goal transforms into “You will create a budget spreadsheet using Excel.” This simple change from understanding to application adds motivation. Use this mindset instead in your life and at the beginning of your courses.

Research indicates that people who set specific, action-oriented goals are 50% more likely to achieve them compared to general, vague goals. This shows how shifting focus can lead to higher success rates.

Learning Objectives: Crafted for Action

This distinction has pushed me to think critically about how learning objectives are usually expressed, especially in educational settings. Many objectives focus on comprehension rather than practical application.

For instance, an objective like, “You will understand the principles of environmental science,” is too passive. A stronger objective would be, “You will design and implement a community recycling program.” This revised goal emphasizes student action and sets a clear target for achievement.

The Challenge of Shifting Mindsets

Changing mindset can be difficult, especially since we often associate knowledge with success. Many of us grew up believing that knowing something is enough. However, from my experience, real power comes when knowledge is applied practically.

This shift requires conscious effort. I've started to regularly reflect on my goals and ask myself, “What do I truly want to achieve?” By homing in on my end goals, I've seen significant increases in my productivity and engagement. In fact, tracking my completed tasks showed a 30% boost in my daily accomplishments when I framed them with action in mind.

Reinforcing Action in Daily Planning

Every day is an opportunity to practice this proactive approach. When I create my daily to-do list, I phrase my tasks in action-oriented language. Instead of saying, “I will read on productivity techniques,” I write, “I will implement two new productivity techniques into my routine today.”

This change gives me a promising mindset. It encourages me to interact with the material actively rather than just passively absorbing information.

Celebrating Small Wins

Focusing on action-oriented goals also allows me to enjoy the journey by celebrating small wins. Each completed task framed this way becomes a stepping stone to something greater. For example, after implementing a new technique, I acknowledged how much it increased my efficiency, creating a positive feedback loop.

Every small victory reinforces the significance of action and motivates me to pursue further achievements. Embracing this habit fosters a sense of growth that extends beyond mere knowledge.

A huge part of this comes from Peak Perspectives, a leadership book club of which I am a member. Last month, we read "The Gap and the Gain" by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. A book I highly recommend! To sum it up shortly, we have been measuring our success wrong our whole lives. I took that message into my personal life as well as my professional life and have implemented it into my course objectives. Measure what's been learned, what's been done, not what you'll be able to do. Just do it! (Sorry Nike! Don't sue, I realize that's your slogan.)

The Path Forward: From Knowing to Doing

Mastering the art of setting goals is about nurturing a culture of action. Shifting our focus from “I will know” to “I will do” alters how we engage with our objectives and learning experiences.

When we center our goals around action, we unlock our aspirations' full potential. This approach encourages us to immerse ourselves in our tasks, leading to genuine growth.

As you plan your objectives in your courses and daily life, challenge yourself to concentrate on what you can accomplish rather than what you will learn. This simple shift can boost the quality of your courses, pursuits and change yours and your learners' perspective. The next time you set a goal or objective, ask yourself, “How can I make this actionable?”

Embrace the journey of doing and witness how it can transform your experiences and outcomes across all areas of life not just awesome e-learning.

My Objective:

As I conclude this exploration of actionable goals, I realize that my primary objective was never just to discuss the importance of setting goals, it was to inspire meaningful change. I aimed to encourage a shift from passive learning to proactive doing, both for myself and for anyone reading this article.

Objectives:

• Inspire a shift from passive learning to active participation, focusing on doing rather than just knowing.

• Encourage actionable goal-setting that emphasizes practical outcomes over theoretical understanding.

• Highlight the importance of clarity in expectations and results-driven approaches to learning and daily tasks.

• Advocate for the transformation of learning objectives into measurable, action-oriented goals.

• Share the benefits of this approach, such as increased motivation, productivity, and engagement.

• Challenge traditional mindsets by emphasizing the application of knowledge as the true measure of success.

• Encourage readers to reflect on their goals and ensure they are framed with clear, actionable language.

• Promote celebrating small, actionable victories as a way to foster growth and sustained progress.

• Reinforce the value of focusing on completed tasks and accomplishments rather than vague, future aspirations.

• Inspire readers to adopt this mindset in all areas of life, from personal growth to professional endeavors.

So.... What's your next objective?