Keeping motivated isn’t always easy, especially if the challenge is too hard, the work is becoming monotonous, or you’re unclear where it is heading.  Goal setting is at its best when it enables you to become focused in the present moment, motivated by what you are doing.  At its worst the pressure of the goal can be the very source of problems and nurture fear and self-doubt, and limit possibilities.  In this session we’ll be exploring the use of ‘goals’ in creative ways to generate and maintain motivation.  A key part will be gaining clarity over what’s important and how paying attention to your personal values impacts on motivation and enjoyment.

Key areas covered will be:

• keeping balance in your PhD and the rest of life
• living your values each day
• the relationship between your vision and more immediate goals
• getting specific while maintaining the thrill: goal setting for motivation

Previous participants said they learnt:

“That prioritising the different aspects of your professional and personal life take more than just planning out each step – makes you really consider your values and what you really want out of the PhD”

“How to refocus from performance to potential, and the important of values and balance”

“Productive- it gave me a specific action and project to take on for my next work step. I’ve been wrestling with that problem for weeks”

“Motivation comes from within but we also need to be aware of outside pressures and begin to analyse as to whether they are real or imagined”