The Power of Goal Setting for Kids: Navigating a Chaotic World
Let's talk GOALS! We just kicked off our homeschool journey this year with a bang by reflecting on all we accomplished last year when launching Paw 🐾 Cast Kids, and setting our own new goals for this school year. And guess what? It's YOUR turn! 📝 Ready to make this school year a dream come true? 📚✨ We've got some great tips to boost your chances. It’s worked for us so we would love to share!
The start of the school year is a great time to get centered and set some goals. In a world that often feels chaotic and unpredictable, goal setting can be the compass that guides kids through the storm. It's a way to take charge of our lives and focus on what we can control when so much seems beyond our grasp. Has goal setting been a light in the darkness for you? The pandemic taught us a valuable lesson. Working on the business plan for Paw 🐾 Cast Kids became our anchor, keeping us paw-sitive even during the most turbulent times. It served as a shield against anxiety and stress, offering a sense of purpose amid the chaos.
As anxiety and depression rates rise among our children, we must equip them with tools to confront the many challenges our world presents. Whether advocating for environmental justice, acquiring new skills, enhancing their health, or excelling in school, setting goals empowers our kids to make a difference—one step at a time.
Here's a quick rundown of tips from renowned neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman in one of his recent podcast episodes. We understand your time is precious, so we've condensed them as a little hack to save you 1.5 hours of listening! (But, if you are up for the full podcast episode, find Dr. Hubermans’ link at the end of this blog.)
QUICK TIPS:
Prioritize! (One defined goal is plenty to focus on at a time and will increase your odds of success. Resist the temptation to bite off more than you can chew.)
Choose a goal that is just out of reach but attainable. (The challenge will initiate the proper neurological changes in your brain that need to occur to increase your chance for success. It actually should be a little frustrating and even cause a little anxiety to boost your energy and motivation to conquer them.)
Define your goal as precisely as possible—on paper! List the what and how. What specific action will you take, and how long will you engage? (Seeing it on paper and writing it out by hand engages neural circuitry in a way that typing or just thinking doesn’t do.)
It's best not to write your goal on sticky notes on a mirror or the wall and leave it there. (Our brain gets used to seeing it, which cancels out any motivation it would provide. Instead, write a new message to yourself each day or change the location on the sticky note daily.)
Do not announce your goal to the world. (Naturally, people will give you encouragement and feedback that will reward your dopamine centers. Because you’ve already been rewarded, you will become less motivated. An alternative might be telling someone who doesn’t believe in you because their lack of belief may motivate you to prove them wrong. Note: We did end up telling people, which actually motivated us, but I can still see his point.)
Ensure the goal is measurable. (When will you start? How long will you be measuring? What small increments is it going to take to achieve your goal? When will you know that the goal is achieved? Research shows that focusing on 12 weeks to achieve your goal can increase your success.)
Use visualization at the beginning of your work block. (If you sit down and are motivated to work, spend one to three minutes visualizing how good you will feel when you reach your goal. If you are NOT motivated when you sit down to work, you should imagine how your failure will feel. These tricks will get you focused!)
Before your work starts, focus on one thing visually in the direction you are working, like at your desk, and start at it for up to 90 seconds. (This stimulates your autonomic nervous system's arousal chemicals. Try to do it for up to 90 seconds. Research shows this decreases people's perceived effort, and the work is finished quickly.)
Work with your internal clock! (You will be most motivated and energetic 30 minutes, 3 hours, and 11 hours from waking up.
Do not reward yourself after each session. (Rewarding yourself too often is counterproductive.
Hey, we get it—you're juggling a lot. We hope this summary makes your goal-crushing journey a bit smoother! If you are ready for more, discover the full podcast episode from Dr. Huberman by following the link HERE.
Let's empower our kids to shape a paw-some future one goal at a time! 🚀🐾
Thanks for reading!
Follow us @pawcastkids on social media for more ways to inspire kids to help make the Earth and themselves paw-some🐾! Don’t forget to check out Sinaya’s book “Come Meet the Rabbits: A Paw Cast Kids Animal Adventure”. Your kids will have a blast as they learn lessons about gardening, friendship, and life to help make our world a better place. Filled with fun, laughs, lessons, and facts, this story is sure to brighten your bookshelf and make you a Paw 🐾 Cast Kid! Your purchase helps Sinaya on her mission toward environmental justice. Purchase HERE!
(Blog author Ayana is a proud mother, wife, nurse, homeschooling parent, and mother to Sinaya, author, environmentalist, owner and creator of Paw 🐾 Cast Kids. Sinaya and Ayana co-create content for Paw 🐾 Cast Kids to make our kids and our Earth paw-some🐾!)