Self-Evaluation: Step 2 - Setting Goals
All driving lessons, and self-development discovery/learning sessions need clearly defined goals (achievement targets).
Without goals it's easy for lessons to drift aimlessly or lack specific focus – the results of these things could be slow or no progress with the resultant negative effect on motivation.
Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, studied the art and science of goal setting.
Her research showed that that those who wrote down their goals and dreams on a regular basis achieved those desires at a significantly higher level than those who did not.
In fact, she found that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams, simply by writing them down on a regular basis.
As you work through 'Driving' you will complete a number of driving exercises/practise sessions, each session needs to have well-defined goals.
As you complete your self-development practise/learning sessions the starting point for each session will be to decide what you want to achieve. To help you to do this the course incorporates a 'What do you want' step for each session..
'What do you want' is about goal setting and requires you to consider and record your goals before each driving practise element of the course. The learning process is:
IMPORTANT: If using a device (phone, tablet, etc.) to access your notes in the car ensure that you fully comply with the law by only using it when the car is stopped in a safe parking position with the engine switched off.
The 'What do you want?' process is the starting point for each of your practise sessions in the car.
Get into the habit of completing a 'What do you want?' exercise before every driving session.
Record, in as much detail as possible, what you want to achieve from each training exercise.
Your list could include driving qualities, personal feelings (e.g., more confidence), or anything else that is important for you and/or meets the criteria for the exercise.
'What do you want' has two questions:
Working out what you want
The more you formally set goals for yourself, the more you will gain from this course. The process will also start to prepare you for helping your future customers to set their driving and lesson goals.
To help you to find the three main things that you want to achieve you will be learning a technique called 'Scaling'.
Scaling is a deceptively powerful teaching tool. Getting used to using it for yourself will prepare you for using it with your pupils.
Note: You will also be using Scaling in when assessing your own driving and so it is important that you learn and understand the method fully.
At the end of this unit you will be using scaling as part of a practise goal setting exercise.
Next: Step 3, Knowing when you have reached your goals.