Activity 1: (20 minutes) S.M.A.R.T. GOALS VS. HABITS

Quickly review S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S: Specific (What exactly are you trying to do? List out all the details.)

M: Measurable (How will you know you have done it?)

A: Attainable (Is it possible to get there yet with the tools/knowledge I have?)

R: Relevant (Is your goal based on something worthwhile to you?)

T: Timely (What is your timeline?)

Pass out the S.M.A.R.T. Goal handout. Invite educators to pick a personal or professional goal and describe it in detail, using the questions to guide them.

Have a discussion:

• Is the S.M.A.R.T. method the best way for you to set goals? Explain.
• What other ways can you set goals?

Read these quotes:

• “‘You have a choice,’ Dan said. ‘You can be good at those twenty-five things or you can be world-class at the five. Most people have so many things they want to do that they never do a single thing well.’” (Alex Banayan, The Third Door)
• “Findings from thirty years of research on life satisfaction show that happiness requires having clear-cut goals in life that give us a sense of purpose and direction. When we make progress toward satisfying our most cherished needs, goals, and wishes in the sixteen areas of life that contribute to contentment, we create well-being. Our research also shows that when we make progress toward attaining goals in one area of life, we raise our overall life satisfaction in other areas because of the potent ‘spillover’ effect.” (Caroline Adams Miller, Creating Your Best Life)

Pass out the article, “Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.” by James Clear. Teachers can read the article on paper or digitally. As they read, ask educators to compare habits with goal setting.

Have a group discussion, comparing and contrasting habits and goal setting using the Venn diagram on the slideshow:

• How are goals and habits the same and different?
• Which do you think is better to focus on for long-term improvement? Why?
• How can you use habits and goals to help you become your best self?

Activity 2: (25 minutes) “CHANGE ANYTHING” VIDEO AND NOTES

Watch the video, “Change Anything! Use Skillpower Over Willpower” by Al Switzler. As participants watch, have them consider the question: “What influences can inhibit change?”

Have a discussion:

• What inhibits change that we desire?
• How can identifying the things that are in your way help you improve?
• In terms of goal setting, what makes you feel hopeful?
• In terms of goal setting, what makes you feel hopeless?

Read the quote:

“Study after study shows that people who think not only about their dreams, but about the obstacles that lie in the way of realizing their dreams—believing they can overcome those obstacles and planning how they’ll make it happen—vastly outperform those who sit back and wait for the universe to reward them for all their positive thinking.” (Heidi Grant Halvorson)

Activity 3: (20 minutes) PERSONAL MOTIVATION AND ABILITY

These ideas were inspired by the book Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success, written by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.

• “Why is it that 95% of all diet attempts fail? Why do New Year’s Resolutions last no more than a few days? Why can’t people with good intentions seem to make consistent and positive strides?… The authors of Change Anything will show that traditional will-power is not necessarily the answer to these strivings, that people are affected in their behaviors by far more subtle influences.” (Amazon Blurb)

Pass out the Six Influences Summary and the Six Influences Notes handout to each participant. Ask educators to locate the first row, labeled “personal.”

After looking at the chart as a whole group, summarize the category “personal motivation” in simple language. Have educators take notes on ideas that they like or that resonate within them on the notes handout.

Read some personal motivation quotes:

• “By keeping the truly important things front and center, we often get the perspective we need to make better decisions.” (Michael Hyatt, Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want)
• “Our thoughts can empower or imprison. They empower when we try something new, and they imprison when we let them convince us to stay comfortable.” (Skip Prichard, The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future)
• “Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture… Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.” (Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking)

Personal Motivation Videos:

• “How Changing Your Story Can Change Your Life” by James Clear
• “Start with the Why” by Simon Sinek

Have a discussion:

• What thoughts come to mind during this video?
• How does this apply to my students?

Next, complete the personal ability section next on the handout by summarizing.

Personal Ability Quotes:

• “We have more control than most of us realize. Each day is filled with thousands of opportunities to change the story of our lives.” (Michael Hyatt, Living Forward)
• “Incremental theorists tend not to make that mistake. When you believe that your ability—any ability—can be grown and developed over time, you focus not so much on proving you are smart, but on cultivating your smartness. Challenges aren’t threatening—they are opportunities to acquire new skills. Mistakes don’t mean you are stupid—they are full of information that can help you to learn.” (Heidi Grant Halvorson, Succeed)
• “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” (Confucius, 551-479 B.C.)

Personal Motivation Videos:

• “This Simple Strategy Will Help You Stop Being Lazy” by James Clear
• “​​The 2-Minute Rule to Building Habits” by James Clear

Have a discussion:

• What ideas resonated with you?
• What thoughts came to mind during those videos?
• Which of these strategies work or would not work for you?
• Why does willpower alone not always work?
• What other strategies or ideas would fall in these two categories?
• How do you see personal motivation and ability affecting different populations in our school?

Activity 4: (20 Minutes) SOCIAL MOTIVATION AND ABILITY

Next, summarize the social motivation section on the notes handout.

Social Motivation Quotes:

• “If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” (Brené Brown, Daring Greatly)
• “Make it your mission to encourage everyone who crosses your path.” (Skip Prichard)
• “When you hang with your tribe, you feel invigorated, recognized, and understood—you can’t underestimate the powerful effects of being fortified in that way. When you have your tribe on speed dial, you’ve got all the resources you need to fuel up, fly straight, and head back out to face the world at large.” (Danielle LaPorte, The Fire Starter Sessions)

Social Motivation Video:

• “Photoshopping Real Women Into Cover Models” by Buzzfeed
• “Are You An Enabler?” by The Hader Clinic Queensland

Have a discussion:

• What thoughts come to mind during this video?
• How does this apply to my students?

Next, summarize the social ability section on the notes handout.

Social Ability Quotes:

• “Don’t be afraid of enemies who attack you. Be afraid of the friends who flatter you.” (Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People)
• “The best negotiating tactic is to build a genuine, trusting relationship. If you’re an unknown entrepreneur and the person you’re dealing with isn’t invested in you, why would he or she even do business with you? But on the other hand, if the person is your mentor or friend, you might not even need to negotiate.” (Alex Banayan, The Third Door)

Social Ability Videos:

• “$100,000 In Debt. Wife Thinks a Budget Is Stupid” by Dave Ramsey
• “Make an Impact: Mentor In Real Life” by MENTOR

Have a discussion:

• What ideas resonated with you?
• What thoughts came to mind during those videos?
• Which of these strategies work or would not work for you?
• Who are your cheerleaders and coaches?
• What other strategies or ideas would fall in these two categories?
• How do you see social motivation and ability affecting different populations in our school?

Activity 5: (20 minutes) STRUCTURAL MOTIVATION AND ABILITY

Invite educators to summarize the structural motivation section on the notes handout.

Structural Motivation Quotes:

• “There is no question that the objects that surround us impact our experience of the world.” (Katherine Center, Get Lucky)
• “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” (Alexander Den Heijer)
• “Your habits change depending on the room you are in and the cues in front of you.” (James Clear, Atomic Habits)

Structural Motivation Videos:

• “Why Small Wins Matter Most” by Darnell Self at Mastermind
• “Varnish Removal Time Lapse” by Fine Art Restoration Company

Finally, summarize the structural ability section on the notes handout.

Structural Ability Quotes:

• “Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. Despite our unique personalities, certain behaviors tend to arise again and again under certain environmental conditions. In church, people tend to talk in whispers. In a dark street, people act wary and guarded. In this way, the most common form of change is not internal, but external: we are changed by the world around us. Every habit is context dependent.” (James Clear, Atomic Habits)

Videos:

• “Hoarders: Life After Hoarding (Season 9)” by A&E
• “The Choice (Short Animated Movie)” by Project Better Self

Have a discussion:

• Which of these strategies work or would not work for you?
• What environment do you best succeed in?
• What other strategies or ideas would fall in these two categories?
• How do you see structural motivation and ability affecting different populations in our school?

Activity 6: (20 minutes) PERSONAL INFLUENCES

Pass out the Personal Influences handout. Invite participants to reflect on how the influences could impact the S.M.A.R.T. goal that they set earlier in the lesson and fill out the handout.

Activity 7: (10 minutes) MICRO HABITS

As a group, watch the video, “Baby Steps,” from the movie What About Bob.

Then pass out the Micro Habits handout. Invite educators to break down their goal into 1% improvements that they could make to reach their goal. They can work while listening to the following video in the background.

Play the video, “Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day,” by James Clear from APB Speakers.

Have a group discussion about goals and time management at work:

• Do we create reasonable (S.M.A.R.T.) goals at our school?
• Who creates the goals in our school?
• How do our responsibilities affect the momentum that we feel?
• How do our responsibilities affect our lives outside of school?
• How can our school support a better work-life balance?