Goal Exploration

Strong goals give a sense of purpose and inform a person's decisions about everything they do. Learning about a person's goals is like a window into their values. Much like values, goals can be a powerful tool in therapy. They can be used for motivation, a tool for exploration, or a guide for making decisions.

In the Goal Exploration activity, your clients will briefly describe their goals in several areas of life, such as family, career, social, and leisure. They will start with a broad 5-year goal, then create 1-year and 1-month goals as stepping stones to reach their long-term goal.

For further exploration, discuss with your client how their goals align with or differ from those of their family, society, or friends. After completing this activity, try the Goal Breakdown worksheet to further hone in on particularly challenging goals.