Turning plans into progress: Goal setting at university

With the start of 2026, it’s now the season for New Year’s resolutions. Take the time to reflect on your achievements in 2025 and set goals for the year ahead. Is there something you wish you had achieved? Some lifestyle changes you want to make? A new endeavour you’ve been wanting to try?

A New Year can act as a clean slate and give people the motivation they need to work towards a goal. Be it a personal or study-related target, goal setting can be an incredibly useful tool for university students.

Keep reading to learn about the importance of goal-setting and how you can set up your own goals for 2026.

Why is goal-setting important?

Goals are useful for a number of reasons. They help motivate you to try new things and help you work towards something. They give you a framework to track your progress and keep you accountable. Goals provide a way to focus your energy, stay motivated and find purpose.

How to set goals effectively:

So, how do you set goals in a way that is realistic and helpful? You might’ve heard of the SMART Goals Framework, but what does it actually mean? Let’s break it down:

S: Specific– Goals should specify directly what you want to achieve. It should include information such as who is involved, where it’s located, when you want to act on it, why it’s important and what you want to accomplish.

Example-

• Instead of: Study more.
• Try this: Study for 1 hour for each unit, 3 times a week.

M: Measurable- Having measurable steps is necessary to track your progress. Seeing where you’ve come from will help keep your motivation high. One way to do this is to measure ‘how many’ or ‘how much’ of something you’re doing for your goal.

Example-

• Instead of: Study more.
• Try this: Track how many hours you have studied each week. E.g. I have done 4 hrs of study per unit for the last 3 weeks.

A: Achievable- Goals should be challenging, but it is also important that they are achievable. If your goal is unrealistic, you’ll quickly lose motivation to complete it. Some important things to consider are if you have the physical experience or capability, the necessary equipment, enough money or enough time to reach your goal. If you’re lacking in any of these areas, get what you need first, then come back to or adjust your goal so it suits your constraints.

Example-

• Instead of: Write my assignment after work. Difficult if you return from work at 7:00 pm.
• Try this: Work on my assignment for 1 hour before work.

R: Relevant- Personal goals that matter to you have a greater chance of succeeding. Focus on goals that align with what you enjoy, and focus on what you need to and want to do.

Example-

• Instead of: Do 5 hours of exercise per week by going to the gym.
• Try this: Do 5 hours of exercise per week doing a sport I enjoy.

T: Time-bound- Deadlines are necessary to keep you on track and motivated for your goal. It’s important to give yourself a realistic timeframe and endpoint when goal-setting.

Example-

• Instead of: Start job hunting after graduation.
• Try this: Start job hunting by November 27^th.

After you’ve checked your goal against this framework, you should then break it down into a series of steps. Once you’ve completed a step, cross it off the list. If something else comes up that needs to be done, add it to the list. Number your tasks in order of priority so you always know what you should be doing next.

An example checklist-

Goal: To study regularly for 1 hour a day, 4 times a week.

1. Document assessment due dates.
2. Create a weekly study schedule.
3. Buy study materials.
4. Commence weekly study routine.
5. Review progress.

Additional Resources:

There are heaps of resources out there to help you organise your goals and stay motivated. Here are a few we recommend:

• Headspace: They provide some handy templates that can guide you in goal-setting for work or study, with an independent goal-setting activity or an action plan.
• Reach out Australia: The team has a slew of articles related to goal setting and helpful infographics to help you with the process.
• Vision boards: Sometimes also referred to as dream boards, these collages of inspirational photos and messages can help you visualise your goal and keep you motivated when you’re flagging. Create one and put it in a visible location. Regularly take the time to review it and keep those positive emotions associated with your goal at the forefront of your mind.

Don’t write off the power of a New Year’s resolution. If there’s something you want to achieve or a change you want to make in your life, now is the time to plan out the steps to get you there. Follow the tips we’ve outlined and make your 2026 the very best it can be.

If you’d like to learn more about goal setting or find some more resources on the topic, contact Advocacy and Welfare today.

Call us on (02) 6773 2349, email us at advocacy@une.edu.au or visit our website to book an appointment today.