--- title: Helping Young People Achieve Goals | Search Institute description: We know that youth are most motivated when they set their own goals based on what is important to them. But that doesn’t mean parents, teachers, and other adults don’t play important roles as well. Try these eight strategies to enhance young people’s abilities to set and reach goals. Connect with young people. Get to [...] --- Theme + Migration = $1489 (Pay for the Theme Only). 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[![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) [![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) - BLOG - SHOP - DONATE - CONTACT - [RESEARCH](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [SOLUTIONS](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [INSIGHTS](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [FUNDERS & PARTNERS](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [ABOUT](https://searchinstitute.org/about) [![hlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hs-fs/hubfs/hlogo.webp?width=187&height=90&name=hlogo.webp "hlogo")](https://searchinstitute.org) - [RESEARCH](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [SOLUTIONS](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [INSIGHTS](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [FUNDERS & PARTNERS](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [ABOUT](https://searchinstitute.org/about) - [RESOURCE HUB](https://searchinstitute.org/resources-hub) # Blog August 24, 2016 1 Minute Read By : [searchinstitute](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) Topics Developmental Relationships Research Developmental Assets Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Youth Programs Provide Support Family Engagement Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) SI Spotlight Social Capital Share Power Solutions Youth Thriving Education / School Expand Possibilities Student Voice Challenge Growth Summer Scholars Thriving Youth Voice Express Care Sparks Data Insights Faith Field Partner Spotlight LGBTQ+ Workshops Relationship Ready Schools Conversation Starters Sports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) # Helping Young People Achieve Goals [![Share on twitter](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/x-twitter-color.png?width=24&name=x-twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fhelping-young-people-achieve-goals%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fhelping-young-people-achieve-goals%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fhelping-young-people-achieve-goals%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.searchinstitute.org%2Fhelping-young-people-achieve-goals%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) # Helping Young People Achieve Goals By [searchinstitute](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) August 23 2016 1 Minute Read We know that youth are most motivated when they set their own goals based on what is important to them. But that doesn’t mean parents, teachers, and other adults don’t play important roles as well. Try these eight strategies to enhance young people’s abilities to set and reach goals. 1. **Connect with young people.** Get to know what makes them tick and what motivates them. This knowledge will help you coach them on how to identify goals that are meaningful to them. It will also boost their self-confidence when they believe they matter to you. 2. **Coach them in setting goals.** Goals tend to be most motivating when they are specific, challenging, and achievable. For example, a goal to “get better at” algebra is not terribly motivating. A goal to get 8 of 10 algebra problems correct instead of 5 out of 10 is easy to visualize. 3. **Think out loud about strategies to achieve goals.** Encourage them to verbalize strategies for reaching their goals. Saying it out loud helps commit the strategies to memory. 4. **Give specific feedback.** It shows that you are paying attention and that they are taking specific steps to make progress.   5. **Help them create positive habits.** People are more likely to work on goals when there are cues in the environment that trigger the goal-related action. (A note on a mirror is a classic example.) This makes the actions more automatic or habitual–so you do them, even when you’re thinking about other things. 6. **Coach them in making plans and priorities.** This planning includes not only what they intend to do, but also problems that might occur and ways of dealing with them. It also involves setting priorities for how to use their time so they can stay on track to reach their goal.   7. **Recalibrate when needed.** Slip-ups will happen. They are part of the learning process. It’s important to help young people learn from mistakes and setbacks, and then work to get on track toward the goal.   8. **Celebrate milestones and achieved goals.** Positive feedback and celebrations to mark goal achievement reinforce young people’s confidence and their motivation to pursue their next goals. **The Cognition category of the REACH Framework helps adults work with young people to defer gratification in order to achieve goals. For more information on the REACH Framework, [request “The REACH Resources Overview” White Paper](https://www.search-institute.org/request-reach-white-paper) and learn how schools can use REACH to strengthen students’ motivation to succeed in the classroom and beyond.  ** #### searchinstitute Author ## Recommended For You [![](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-17%20at%209_57_19%20AM.png)](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/how-to-support-young-people) [Provide Support](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/provide-support) [Developmental Relationships](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/developmental-relationships) 2 Min Read ### [How to Support Young People \[video\]](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/how-to-support-young-people) [Search Institute May 31 2018](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/search-institute) 2 Min Read ### [Helping Students Set and Achieve Goals: A Primer](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/helping-students-set-achieve-goals-primer) [searchinstitute August 03 2016](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) [![](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/social-capital-2.png)](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/value-social-capital) [Social Capital](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/social-capital) [Developmental Relationships](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/tag/developmental-relationships) 1 Min Read ### [The Value of Social Capital for Young People](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/value-social-capital) [searchinstitute May 13 2020](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/author/searchinstitute) ![search-footerlogo](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/hubfs/search-footerlogo.png "search-footerlogo") ## Search Institute 2550 University Avenue West Suite 200N St. Paul, MN 55114 800.888.7828 612.376.8955 i[nfo@searchinstitute.org](mailto:info@searchinstitute.org) - [Research](https://searchinstitute.org/research) - [Solutions](https://searchinstitute.org/solutions) - [Insights](https://searchinstitute.org/insights) - [Funders & Partners](https://searchinstitute.org/funders-partners) - [About](https://searchinstitute.org/about) - [Blog](https://blog.searchinstitute.org/) - [Donate](https://searchinstitute.org/donate) - [Contact](https://searchinstitute.org/contact) - [Subscribe to our Newsletter](https://searchinstitute.org/subscribe-to-our-enewsletter) - [Cancellations, Returns & Refunds](https://searchinstitute.org/cancellations-returns-refunds) - [Public Records](https://searchinstitute.org/nonprofit-status-public-records) - [Permissions Request Form](https://survey.search-institute.org/s3/Permissions-Request-Form) - [Keep Connected](http://keepconnected.searchinstitute.org/) ©2024 Search Institute | [Terms of Use](https://www.search-institute.org/terms-of-use/) Search Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation. 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