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How to Create a Goal


The best thing you can do when you are trying to create a goal is to ask yourself some questions to best determine where your goal lies. Some effective questions, and this will play into brainstorming, are:


In the example of trying to get a raise, you can ask those questions and the answers you get will typically be the following:

  • I want to gain a raise from my employer so that I can better afford the things in my life, and possibly increase my standard of living, as well.

  • This is important because I feel that I deserve a raise for all the work I have been doing and I want to feel appreciated by my employer by getting a raise.

  • Ny feeling of a lack of satisfaction in what I am doing will be eliminated with this persuasive argument.

  • This will affect other people because more money will be needed by the company to pay me more if I get the raise.

  • I need to convince my boss that I am the right person for the raise and that I need to eliminate any misconceptions they may have about me and my work ethic with the company.

Now, looking at these answers you will be able to better create a goal in mind for your persuasive letter to your boss to convince them of your worth for a raise.

Your goal will now be something like this:

"I want to convince my employer, who may see things differently, that I deserve a raise because I have felt dissatisfaction with my job and I feel that a raise will help me be more satisfied with my work, while raising my standard of living."

Many people will also define the goal in persuasive writing as effectiveness. This essentially means that you want to be effective in your persuasion. If you are effective in your persuasion to get the raise that you want, then your goal will be met. Hence, your goal is to be effective.

The last point that you should remember about your goals is that you need to make your goals realistic. Typically you only have a few minutes of someone's attention to change their mind about an issue, idea, or product. You may be able to change part of their mind and get them closer to what you want, but there is just as much risk that you won't change their mind at all. In the raise example, you could have a boss who is notorious for not giving raises; therefore your goal of getting a raise could be unrealistic. Therefore, you should adjust your goal to at least putting the idea of a raise in their head and helping the boss notice you more.

If you go into a persuasive bit of writing with the intent to convince the Ku Klux Klan that everyone is equal, you may not be setting yourself a logical and realistic goal. Sometimes it is important to start small with your goal and build from that once you have their attention.

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