Outline Your Vision

By now, you've probably been thinking of possible goals and how you want to be successful in producing your desired or intended result. What you've just defined here is a goal that is "effective." In order to achieve the results you want, you need to make sure you are setting yourself up for success by creating an effective goal. To do this, you need to first engage in a little planning. After all:

"A goal without a plan is just a wish." ~ Antoine de Saint Exupery

Brainstorming 101

Remember the characteristics of effective goals we discussed in Goals and Outcomes Explained? Now that you understand what makes up an effective goal, you can begin to craft your goal statement by asking yourself several brainstorming questions to help you clarify your thoughts.

Write a statement that broadly encompasses the idea of what you want to accomplish. Think about that statement when answering the following questions.

Why this goal?
- State the need for the goal. Think about any gaps, problems, dreams or ambitions that have led you to developing this goal.
What do you need to change or do to achieve this goal?
- State the behavior or condition that needs to change. Think about what needs to be learned or applied as you work to achieve your goal.
Who is impacted by this goal?
- Identify the person, people, or organization(s) that are impacted by this goal.
What do you want to occur because of this goal?
- State the ultimate outcome you are trying to achieve.

Your Goal Statement

Now that you’ve thought more deeply about your goal, you are ready to formulate a concise goal statement. Some example formats could include:

Action, Outcome, Change
[ACTION VERB]	[OUTCOME]	[BEHAVIOR/CONDITION CHANGE]
Increase	family involvement	by hosting family events.

Change, Action, Outcome
[BEHAVIOR/CONDITION CHANGE]	[ACTION VERB]	[OUTCOME]
Demonstrate my knowledge and experience	by earning	a CDA.

Action, Change, Outcome
[ACTION VERB]	[BEHAVIOR/CONDITION CHANGE]	[OUTCOME]
Build	a more natural outdoor play area	so children have the opportunity for nature play and exploration.

Goal Statement Worksheet

Need help organizing your thoughts?

Visit the IPDP Template Options page to choose an IPDP template and complete a goal statement worksheet. Continue on to the next page to learn how to create specific outcomes for your goal.

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