Future orientation has been defined as ”the ability to set future goals and plans” (Johnson, et al., 2014: p.1). A strong future orientation allows one to envision future study paths, career goals, and other significant aspects of one’s life. On a deeper level, future orientation can be seen as the ability to envision a future self: what will I become in the future? What do I have to do to get there?

In education, future orientation relates closely to what kind of goals learners choose to pursue. In general, goals can be divided into two groups: learning goals and performance goals (Snyder, et al., 2002). While learning goals refer to the desire to learn new skills or to master new tasks, performance goals refer to lower effort targets which can be reached more easily, but wich are also less likely to lead to consistent success in the future.

According to research, learners who pursue learning goals are often more engaged in their studies and make plans to reach their objectives, while learners who tend to pursue performance goals often show a more helpless response when faced with obstacles (Snyder, et al., 2002), or may not increase their efforts in order to overcome challenges.

In choosing future goals, then, it is crucial to reflect on which goals can better allow one to acquire new skills and abilities, instead of focusing on goals which are easy to achieve. The idea of hope can be seen as especially important in developing future orientation, because it offers an explanation for why some learners pursue more long term goals while others tend to pursue more short term or lower effort goals (Snyder, et al., 2002).

Hope allows learners to envision meaningful goals and to believe that their actions will lead to positive results. Hope is crucial in allowing learners to consider different possibilities for the future, and in encouraging them to act in order to reach them. Developing a sense of hope is central to strengthening future orientation: when one believes that their actions can lead to positive results, one is more capable of making long term plans as well as considering alternative paths to their goals.

Valuing your future goals

Choose two or more different future goals.

First, on a scale from 1 to 5, describe how much you would value reaching each goal (1 = very little, 5 = very much). List the things that you most value about these goals.

Second, on a scale from 1 to 5, describe how you perceive the likelihood of reaching your goal, if you put in enough effort (1 = very unlikely, 5 = very likely). Reflect on the things that influence your view of the likelihood. List the things that you can control (such as time you spend studying) and the things that you can’t (such as the number of applicants to your chosen study programme).

Finally, compare the values (1 – 5) and lists between the different goals.

Overcoming obstacles

Think of one or more future goals. What do you think are the most common obstacles to achieving these goals? Why do some people fail to overcome these obstacles? How would you try to overcome them?

Social belonging

Think of at least one future goal.

First, reflect on the social connections that will help you reach your goal. Make a list of the connections that you already have.

Second, imagine all the new social connections that you’re going to make while reaching for your goal. What will you have in common with these people? Make a list of the connections that you would like to make in order to reach your goal.

Making an action plan

Start with one possible future goal. Set up a timeline. When are you going to reach the goal? What will you have to do in the near future to reach the goal? What can you do today to help you reach your goal later?