4.3 Goals: Types of Goals
Performance Goals
Performance goals provide a measurable criteria by which a person can evaluate their performance. In other words, performance goals are primarily focused on the outcome. This type of goal is very common because many individuals like when progress is easily measured. Many performance goals are based on extrinsic motivation; success is often realized by doing better than others, surpassing past measurements, or through public recognition.
Range Goals
Similar to performance goals, range goals are based on specific outcome standards, but with more flexibility. The low end being something the individual knows they can achieve and the high end being a reach. This way, anything in between is a success. An example of a range goal would be “I will swim between eight and fifteen laps in the pool today.” A person’s motivation to continue working toward a goal is sometimes based on what they have accomplished and sometimes on what they still need to accomplish (Koo & Fishbach 2008). High-low range goals are potentially able to meet both of these objectives.
Learning Goals
In contrast to performance goals and range goals, learning goals—also known as mastery goals—involve developing a skill or increasing knowledge. Learning goals draw attention away from the end result and instead focus on becoming more proficient at the task or activity. Examples of learning goals would include “I will practice cooking rice until it turns out just like my grandfather’s rice” or “I will learn about the differences in types of bicycles until I am confident in which I should purchase.” Learning goals play on an individual’s intrinsic motivation; a person feels successful if they believe they have personally improved or come to understand something.
SMART Goals
A strategy for staying on-track toward long-term goals is setting relevant and meaningful SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-based. In setting a SMART goal, individuals specify what action or actions they will take, how often they will do the action(s), and until what date. For some SMART goals, it can also be helpful to include how you plan to track your actions each day or week to ensure you have a plan in place to measure progress. For example, Jasmine wants to improve her performance on the basketball court to get more playing time and has identified flexibility and increased upper-body strength as things that will help her do this. To work toward this, she sets the following SMART goal: “I will stretch for 15 minutes before and after every practice and gradually increase my bench press weight by 2.5 pounds every two weeks for the next ten weeks.” Note that this goal is far more specific than simply saying “I want to be a better basketball player.” The goal is focused on the actions or behaviors she believes will help her become a better player.
Learning Activity: Identifying Different Types of Goals
Drag each goal into the boxes labeled “performance goal,” “range goal,” “learning goal,” or “SMART goal” in this online activity.
Types of Goals (Summary Table)
|
Type of Goal |
Description/Example |
How to use this type of goal |
|---|---|---|
|
Performance Goal |
Provides measurable criteria by which a person can evaluate their performance. Example: I will finish the 5K in less than 38 minutes. |
If you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed, a specific, high performance goal can be appropriate. Think about the necessary behaviors behind the goal. |
|
Range Goal |
Based on specific outcome standards; low end is achievable and the high end is a reach. Example: I will drink between two and four cups of water today. |
If you have the skills and abilities to complete the tasks at hand and needs a boost of motivation to get started or make progress, a range goal can be appropriate. |
|
Learning Goal |
Involve developing a skill or increasing knowledge; focuses on becoming more proficient at the task or activity. Example: I will survey my friends about on-the-go snack options they bring to campus. |
When learning or further exploration is needed before taking steps to change other behaviors or when learning a new skill is the main desired outcome, a learning goal can be appropriate. |
|
SMART Goal |
Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based; designed to clearly specify what the person wants to achieve by when. Example: I will practice a guided breathing exercise for ten minutes before bed on weeknights for the next two weeks. |
When success is based on specific behaviors or steps being achieved first or when attempting to form a new habit, a SMART goal can be appropriate. |
Self-Assess Your Understanding
- Differentiate between performance, range, learning, and SMART goals.
- Provide an example of a goal for each of the following four types of goals: performance, range, learning, and S.M.A.R.T. goals.
provide a measurable criteria by which a person can evaluate their performance; primarily focused on the outcome.
based on specific outcome standards, but with more flexibility. The low end of a range goal is something the individual knows they can achieve and the high end is a reach.
also known as mastery goals—involve developing a skill or increasing knowledge; draws attention away from the end result and instead focuses on becoming more proficient at the task or activity
SMART = specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-based; individuals specify what action or actions they will take, how often they will do the action(s), and until what date.
