Writing an essay about your goals is a great way to showcase your personal ambitions. So, if you’re looking for a simple way to do it, then this tutorial is perfect for you!
I’m Constance, and in this tutorial, I will guide you through five simple steps to write an essay about your goals. I will give you tips, and you’ll get an example of such an essay, too!
Let’s get started!
Step 1. Plan the word count for your paragraphs.
Planning the word count will help you organize your thoughts, which makes it simpler and quicker to present them in a clear and concise essay.
Writing an essay basically involves three elements:
- The introductory paragraph.
- Three body paragraphs.
- The concluding paragraph.
For example, if your task is to write a 300-word essay, you can distribute 300 words across these five paragraphs following the diagram below:
Step 2. Select the main idea and three supporting points.
Writing an essay about your goals should start with a main idea. To do this, consider three goals you want to highlight in your essay. Then, determine what they have in common. Find an idea that will overarch the three of them.
Will these goals help you achieve balance in your life? Will they help you build a better future for yourself? Are these goals aligned with your professional growth? Do they help you become a better person? Whatever you choose will be the basis of your essay — your thesis or main idea.
For example, we can say, “My goals contribute to my personal fulfillment.” Note that your thesis does not have to be too complicated because you’ll eventually understand how to expand it in the next step.
After choosing your essay’s main idea, you will use the Power of Three to divide it into three supporting points.
The Power of Three will help you break down your main idea into three supporting points. It’s a three-part structure that helps you produce your body paragraphs clearly and effectively.
Let’s see how we can use it for our sample essay with the thesis: “My goals contribute to my personal fulfillment.”
- I want to buy a house.
- I want to lose 25 pounds.
- I want to go on a solo trip to Seoul.
Fantastic! Now we’re ready for step three.
Step 3. Write the introductory paragraph.
Here are the important parts you need to include in your introductory paragraph:
The first sentence is the introduction, which should catch your readers’ attention. Its job is to make your readers want to know what you’re talking about in your essay.
Then the rest of the paragraph is your thesis statement, which includes your thesis and its three supporting points.
Here’s an example of an introductory paragraph:
“Having and pursuing goals is crucial as it significantly impacts our lives. In my case, my goals contribute to my personal fulfillment. Whether buying a house, losing 25 pounds, or going on a solo trip to Seoul, my goals drive me toward growth, self-satisfaction, and a fulfilling journey.”
Note how this paragraph started with a general statement to more specific points from the introduction to the thesis and its three supporting points.
Step 4. Write three body paragraphs.
Writing the body paragraphs comes after writing the introductory paragraph. Here’s a diagram you can follow to make sure you effectively present the supporting points:
Note that it starts with the topic sentence, followed by an explanation and example/s to illustrate it. The examples, in this case, are actions I take to help me achieve these goals.
Paragraph 1
“One of my main goals is to buy a house. Owning a home has been a dream of mine for a long time, and it motivates me to work hard and save as much money as I can. It is why I started to save 10% of my income every month and invest extra money in various opportunities to increase my savings.”
Note how the first sentence in this paragraph serves as the topic sentence, giving context to the entire paragraph. The following sentences explain it briefly and illustrate it with an example.
Paragraph 2
“Ever since I decided to live a healthier lifestyle, it has been a goal of mine to lose 25 pounds. My determination to achieve this goal keeps me focused and motivated to work hard on my journey so I can start feeling good about my body again. I have started working out regularly and making healthier food choices. I also started drinking more water and getting enough sleep to boost my progress.”
Paragraph 3
“I have always been fascinated by Korean culture, so I have decided to make a solo trip to Seoul a goal. The dream of experiencing Korean culture firsthand motivates me to work hard, save money to fund my travel and learn more about South Korea. I have been researching the most affordable options for solo travelers. I have created a budget plan and an itinerary and am studying the Korean language to make sure I can immerse myself in the local experience.”
Like body paragraph 1, these two other body paragraphs start from a general statement (topic sentence) and proceed to more specific points (examples).
Step 5. Write the concluding paragraph.
Using different words to restate what you’ve already mentioned in your introductory paragraph is the simplest way to write a concluding paragraph.
It is also a time-tested method, so it always works for any essay!
Let’s see how it works for our example:
Concluding Paragraph
“Setting and pursuing goals can have a significant impact on our lives. For me, my goals help me achieve a sense of self-fulfillment. Whether saving money to buy a house, adopting a healthier lifestyle to lose 25 pounds, or planning a solo trip to Seoul, working hard toward my goals has been fulfilling.”
As you can see, the paragraph only restated the points already mentioned in our introductory paragraph using different words. This method makes writing the concluding paragraph pretty simple.
And that wraps it up!
I hope this tutorial has answered your questions! Now it’s time to write your essay about your goals!
