Priya S.

The best goal-setting strategies begin with creating SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Clear goals help maintain focus and track progress effectively. Break big goals into smaller milestones to avoid feeling overwhelmed and celebrate small successes. Write goals down to create commitment and accountability. Prioritize goals based on importance and impact to manage time and energy wisely. Use visualization techniques to mentally rehearse success and stay motivated. Regularly review and adjust goals based on progress and changing circumstances. Incorporating action plans with clear steps, deadlines, and resource lists strengthens goal achievement. Stay flexible but persistent, adapting strategies without losing sight of the bigger objective. Finally, track progress continuously through journals, checklists, or digital tools to stay engaged and correct course when needed. Combining these strategies creates a structured yet dynamic path to accomplishing personal, academic, or professional ambitions.

Goal setting is the process of deciding what you want to achieve and creating a clear target to work toward. It gives direction, focus, and motivation. Strategy is the detailed plan or method you create to achieve your goal effectively, outlining the steps, resources, and timelines needed. While goals define what you want to accomplish, strategies define how you will accomplish it. Together, goal setting and strategy help organize efforts, guide better decision-making, and track progress toward success. Without clear goals, efforts are scattered; without strategies, goals remain unfulfilled dreams. Both are essential for personal, academic, and professional growth.

SMART goal setting is a method for setting clear, achievable goals by making sure each goal meets five important criteria:

• S – Specific: The goal should be clear and specific, answering exactly what you want to accomplish.

• M – Measurable: You should be able to track your progress and know when the goal is achieved.

• A – Achievable: The goal should be realistic and attainable, not impossible to reach.

• R – Relevant: It should matter to you and align with your bigger objectives or values.

• T – Time-bound: The goal should have a deadline or a defined timeframe to create urgency.

Example of a SMART goal:

Instead of saying, "I want to get fit," a SMART goal would be:
➡️ "I will jog for 30 minutes, five days a week, for the next three months to improve my fitness level."

Interviewing skills in counselling involve techniques that help establish trust, gather relevant information, and support clients in exploring their issues. Key skills include active listening, where the counsellor attentively focuses on what the client is saying, and empathy, showing understanding and concern for the client’s feelings. Open-ended questions encourage clients to share more in-depth responses, while paraphrasing and reflecting feelings show that the counsellor is engaged and understands the client’s emotions. Non-verbal cues, such as body language and eye contact, also play a role in fostering a supportive environment for effective communication and rapport-building.