4-H Thrive! Self-Regulation and Goal Setting

Thriving youth have their eyes on the future and set goals to get them where they want to go. Self-regulation, or the ability to make choices with a goal in mind, is a key skill for goal setting and a future orientation. Thriving youth are able to make choices and take actions for both short and long-term success, especially when it means letting go of short-term gratification in exchange for achieving a longer-term goal. Thriving youth also persevere to reach their goals, even when the going gets tough. This perseverance is known as “grit” and research shows that grit is a bigger predictor of success than innate intelligence or ability.

When working with 4-H youth:

  • Encourage and help youth to set goals for what they want to achieve. Start with modest achievable goals that gradually get more difficult
  • Help youth identify steps they will take to achieve their goals.
  • When youth struggle, remind them of the idea of grit, and that with effort, their goals are achievable.
  • When youth reach roadblocks to their goals, encourage them to reflect on what didn’t work and develop new strategies for achieving the goal.
  • Remind youth of the importance of delaying short-term gratification for longer-term goals.
  • Recognize youth for the achievement of their goals and the effort they put into making their goals a reality.
  • Thriving youth set goals and persevere in achieving their goals. They also make self-regulatory decisions that lead to better short-term and long-term success.

For the complete newsletter use the link below to download the PDF version.

Mitchell, S. 2020, Clover Clips Newsletter, Volume 28, Issue 3, March 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, 4-H Newsletter
Printable    Version    (PDF)

Extension Associated Contacts

Heidi Kratsch
Heidi Kratsch
 

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