3 Easy Ways to Help Teenagers Set Meaningful Goals for 2022

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Studies show 80% of New Years Resolutions have evaporated by the first week of February. And it only gets worse from there - especially for teenagers, who already have plenty of distractions. But there are ways you can help that won't frustrate them or you.

We see every January as an opportunity to turn the page on the previous year and open ourselves up to a fresh start. But too often we focus on teh wrong things. We make resolutions to change something about ourselves: eat better, diet and exercise, clean up our finances, study more, and earn better grades. But resolutions don't work.

Instead, you and your teens should be setting SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

Being SMART About Goal Setting

Setting SMART goals provides direction, builds focus, and motivates you toward taking some desired action. SMART goals also offer a clear purpose for your decisions while setting a destination worth reaching.

And, as with compounding returns in investing, the younger we can start practicing this type of goal-setting, the more ingrained and goal-oriented we can become later in life.

Teens can succeed more by seeing past the here and now and instead focusing on life's more significant, though achievable, ambitions.

While results from a Gallup Poll reveal several teens share big dreams like playing the piano at Carnegie Hall or becoming a Supreme Court Justice, they can also set realistic goals that deliver them step-by-step toward these lifelong accomplishments. Breaking these down into more immediate, mid-term, and long-term goals might give better odds to pay off for them. They can also teach valuable lessons important for day-to-day living.

Goals can demonstrate the difference between wants and needs, motivate teens to challenge themselves, and teach them to ask for assistance when necessary.

Goals can also help teenagers plan ahead, own mistakes, improve organizational skills, and instill a sense of achievement. However, not all goals are created equal, as we will see, and you must take proper steps to accomplish goals.

Keep reading to learn the most effective goal setting strategies and what types of goals are appropriate for this age group in 2022.

Teenage Goal Setting Strategies To Help

Daydreaming comes naturally, but goal setting does not. A difference between goals and dreams is that goals require taking action, while dreams do not.

Setting goals isn't an inherent skill. It needs to be learned and practiced. The strategies below help teenagers practice setting achievable and worthwhile goals.

1. Focus on Quick Wins To Get Started

Teens need to get some "quick wins" when setting goals. Sometimes, a fear of failure can prevent us from working on a goal for adults and teenagers alike.

If you don't try, you can't fail, right? These more manageable goals give teenagers confidence they can accomplish harder ones.

For example, saving a substantial amount of money may seem daunting and unattainable. A quick win would be to sign up for a savings account. That one step makes them closer to their goal than they were before.

Checking something off one's to-do list that can be done in a short amount of time proves a certain level of capability. It's easier to convince yourself to do something that will take only a few minutes than it is to start a long-term project. Plus, quick goals fight against procrastination.

2. They Want Freedom To Set Their Own Goals; Provide Suggestions & Structure

You've seen it before. The parent who wanted to be a famous athlete or actress decided to push that dream onto a child. Teenagers must have the autonomy to create their own goals.

Parents still offer value by providing goal suggestions if they don't force them. Ask questions, such as, "Why did you choose this goal?" and "What steps do you need to take to reach this goal?" Teaching the components of what makes a decisive goal is also helpful.

To have the best chance at accomplishing goals, they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART). Vague goals, such as "try harder in school," aren't as effective as specific goals, such as "turn in all my assignments on time."

Goals should be more realistic and measurable. Unrealistic goals, such as getting 100% on every test, can instill a sense of failure if not accomplished. To test a goal's measurability, consider asking, "How will you know when you've accomplished this goal?"

Finally, goals work best with a clear timeline rather than being indefinite. If a goal never ends, you never get a sense of accomplishment from completing it.

Encourage goals to be within a teenager's control rather than somebody else's. For example, replace the goal "get the lead in the school play" with "have my audition monologue completely memorized."

Once teens establish their goals, they should write them down to increase their chances of success.

3. Help Them Understand Costs & Benefits

Teenagers need to consider the possible challenges and benefits of their goals. Some goals require money. For instance, a young adult may want to attend a basketball camp over the summer to improve their chance of making the varsity team the following academic year.

If you've agreed this is a cost the teenager should cover on their own, you can help them calculate how long it will take to make money, whether from an allowance or a part-time job.

Costs aren't all monetary. Suppose a teenager's goal requires waking up earlier. In that case, it may not occur to him that a potential downside may be needing to go to bed earlier and missing out on previously enjoyed late-night activities.

There may also be more benefits to certain goals than realized initially. While the primary goal of babysitting may be to earn more money, chasing around young children may also provide physical benefits.

A teenager considering volunteering for a cause she believes in may not realize she could later ask an adult from the charity to write her a college recommendation letter.

Fully understanding the costs and benefits of goals will help teens determine if a goal is worth it and how to prepare for it.

Example Goals for Teenagers

Many teenagers' goals fall under the categories of financial, academic, and "life goals." Always having a few goals from each category keeps teens motivated and well-rounded.

Teen Money Goals

Many people start their first jobs as teenagers. It's fun to use disposable income as soon as it hits a bank account, but it's better to use some of the money towards both short-term and long-term goals.

Popular short-term money goals for teenagers may include:

• Get hired for a first job
• Earn enough to buy a prom dress, new electronic device, etc.
• Earn money from a side hustle
• Set up a savings account this month
• Open an investment account for kids this month
• Apply to one new scholarship this week

While short-term goals keep teenagers motivated to earn money and teach valuable financial lessons, it's never too early to work towards long-term financial goals.

Teenagers should consider saving money for higher education, a car, and even retirement. Teach teenagers the power of compound returns and how investing even small amounts of money when they are younger can lead to substantial amounts later.

Teen Life Goals

Life goals for teenagers will vary broadly based on their current interests. Some examples of these life goals may include:

• Getting a driver's license
• Traveling abroad
• Trying a new sport
• Acting in a play
• Learning to cook a favorite dish
• Keeping a journal

Encourage teenagers to develop skills they will need when living independently, such as cooking, cleaning, setting their own schedules, budgeting, and car maintenance.

Also, remind them of other steps that they may need to take before achieving a life goal. For example, traveling to a new country requires saving money. Depending on the country, immunizations may be required, and it might be helpful to know the basics of another language.

Teen Academic Goals

Academics are a significant part of a teenager's life in high school. This continues for those who attend college or a trade school. There are many beneficial academic goals teens may make, such as:

• Making honor roll
• Graduating high school
• Visiting college campuses
• Applying for financial aid
• Getting accepted into college
• Earning a scholarship
• Securing an internship

Some teenagers love creating academic goals, while others consider everything academic-related to be a necessary evil they must get through until they are hired for their dream jobs. Either way, it's essential teenagers identify as lifelong learners.

A study conducted by professor Gary McPherson aimed to determine what helps children progress faster than their peers when learning an instrument. Before their first music lesson, students were asked how long they thought they would play their instruments. They could answer:

1. Until the end of the year (short-term commitment)
2. Through elementary school (medium-term commitment)
3. For the rest of your life (long-term commitment)

The children that progressed faster weren't necessarily the ones that practiced the most. They were the ones who rated their commitment levels as longer term. These students saw themselves as life-long musicians.

Even if a teenager doesn't think higher education is the best option, he should still consider himself a lifelong learner to help achieve current academic goals.

Final Thoughts

Setting and accomplishing goals is highly beneficial for teenagers. If you don't complete every goal or fail to complete them within the original timeframe, that's fine.

Setting your own goals each new year is a way of taking command of your life and learning about yourself in the process.

You can adjust your goals. Sometimes the act of working towards a goal is more important than accomplishing the goal itself.

More Articles from the Wealth of Geeks Network:

• 15 Best Debit Cards for Kids and Teens to Become Money Savvy
• Best Custodial Accounts: How to Start Investing for Your Kid

This article was produced by Young and the Invested and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.

Featured Image Credit: Pexels.