About this resource
Big goals can feel out of reach. This worksheet helps people describe a goal in their own words, explain why it matters, break it into small steps and plan for what might get in the way.
Purpose
To break a goal into small steps and plan for barriers and supports.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Community services and case workers. Also relevant for social workers.
Client or participant group: Adolescents and adults setting personal goals with a practitioner or on their own.
Practice setting: Casework planning sessions.
Suggested uses
- Goal setting in case planning or support planning
- Breaking a large goal into manageable steps
- Building motivation by linking goals to what matters
- Reviewing progress over time
Instructions for practitioners
- Ask the person to describe the goal in their own words.
- Explore why it matters to them.
- Break the goal into three to five small steps, starting with the easiest.
- Plan for barriers and supports, then set a review date.
Instructions for clients or participants
- Write your goal in your own words.
- Break it into small steps.
- Choose a review date.
Accessibility considerations
Plain language. Can be completed with a scribe.
Scope and limitations
Goals should be the person's own. Where goals are set within a funded plan or service, make sure the person's preferences remain at the centre.
Research basis
Specific goals, if-then plans and regular progress monitoring all improve the chances of reaching goals.
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta‐analysis of Effects and Processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(06)38002-1
- Harkin, B., Webb, T. L., Chang, B. P. I., Prestwich, A., Conner, M., Kellar, I., Benn, Y., & Sheeran, P. (2016). Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 142(2), 198–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000025
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.57.9.705
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure and layout were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
