Help Your Students Set Goals – Free Resource

By Doug Franklin September 13, 2013

Most students have dreams about what they want the future to be like. They think about future relationships, jobs, adventures – you name it! That’s one of the great things about working with students; they view life with an excitement of endless possibilities. However, without goals, dreaming is futile. You can sit and dream about the most amazing things you could do, but unless you set goals to help you achieve those dreams, you will never actually experience them. For this reason, goal setting can be one of the most valuable skills you teach your students.

“Goal Setting” will guide students through the process of creating short and long-term goals in several different categories in their lives – personal, spiritual, relational, and leadership. Students will then walk through the skill of making specific actions steps that will help them achieve the goals they set. Goals will only achievable if tangible action steps are created.

This resource is a great activity to do with students, especially as you kick off a new year of ministry and they are diving into a new school year. However, the great thing about this resource is that you can use it in almost any situation. No matter where you are in life, you should always be pursuing a dream that God has placed in your life.

You can use “Goal Setting” in a mentoring relationship, in small groups, or even as an activity paired at the end of a lesson. The important thing is to have someone students can dialogue with to challenge them toward action as well as hold them accountable. Just like dreams, goals are great; but if you don’t have accountability in following through, chances are they will never get done.

Teaching your students how to set goals as they dream will have an incredible impact on your ministry. “Goal Setting” will:

•    Provide Opportunities For Deeper Connections With Students
•    Create A Higher Level of Accountability
•    A Better Understanding of How and Where to Start Challenging Students to Grow
•    Give Students A Clear Vision and Purpose For Their Lives