Teens are old enough to set their own goals, construct plans to fulfill them and put these plans into action. However, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the teenage brain is not yet fully developed when it comes to making decisions. You can help your teenager fulfill his goals by guiding him to make actionable choices, stay focused and recognize the value of planning and perseverance.
Commitment
For teens and adults, the first step toward fulfilling a goal is committing to it fully. The teenage brain is impulsive -- and your teen might tend to set goals quickly and abandon them equally quickly. Encourage him to decide exactly what he wants, write it down and talk about it with other people. According to Robert B. Cialdini, author of "Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion," committing to something publicly is a powerful psychological tool for goal fulfillment and accountability.
Organization
Once your teen is clear about what his goal is, help him determine everything he will have to do to achieve it. Break it into manageable, actionable pieces, and devise a timeline with him for when he will complete each piece. According to Dr. D'Arcy Lyness, writing for TeensHealth, your teen is less likely to become frustrated with specific goals than broad ones. For example, if your teen's overarching goal is to get in shape, each week help him plan how many servings of vegetables he will eat, which days he will jog, and how much weight he will lift.
Perseverance
Significant changes don't happen overnight, and teens might become impatient when they don't see immediate results. Remind your teenager that slow progress is still progress, setbacks aren't reasons to give up and all major accomplishments take time. If your teen's inspiration starts to flag, help him brainstorm reasons his goal is important to him. Encourage him to stick to his plan for his own sake, rather than focusing on other people. For example, help him concentrate on becoming confident in his body and feeling healthy rather than on impressing the girls or fitting in with the jocks.
Accomplishment
As your teen completes pieces of his goal, celebrate his accomplishments. Make a ritual of crossing items off the timeline -- and encourage him to reward himself when he passes a milestone. Help him see the benefits of the progress he is making, even if he hasn't achieved his entire goal yet. For example, if he is frustrated that he has only lost 5 pounds so far, point out that he already seems to have more energy, his skin is clearer or his clothes are starting to fit him better. Realizing his short-term progress will help him stay motivated long term.
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