Values-Oriented Goal-setting for People With Autism

    Most people are goal-oriented and focus on outcome goals, but if you were asked what values are your goals based on, how would you answer? Do you have values in which you hold dear, or do you experience remoteness of values. I value knowlege and learning and my goals are based on those values. I have learned to undo any remoteness of values I possess and find the values I hold dear.

Types of Goals

Behavioral Goals

    Many times in therapy clients are asked to create behavior goals, such as "I want to minimize the amount of times I throw things," or "the amount of times I get into arguments with my spouse." Behavioral goals are goal you want to do.

Emotional Goals

    Emotional goals are different from behavioral goals. For example, instead of creating a goal about minimizing the "amount of times I throw things", I could create  a goals "to minimize my angry feelings."

Outcome Goals

    Outcome goals are different from both behavioral and emotional goals. "I want to become an astromer, I want to become a guru, I want to make $15,000 a month," are examples of outcome goals. An Outcome goal describe what a person wants to be or have.

Values vs. Remoteness of Values

Everyone has values. Sometime we forget our values. We experience remoteness of values. When this happens we may do horrible things sometimes. What are your values? What goals do you want to create based on your values? When do you want to achieve your goal by? We must get back in tune with our values if we experience remoteness of values.

Finding Your Value-oriented Goals

You may have also heard of SMART goals. This concept can be added to the values concept:

Specific-Specificity.

Measurable-Goals must be measurable.

Achieveable-Goals must be realistic, or                  achievable.

Relevant. Goals must be relevent to what

                you want to the desired out-

                come to be.

Timely-Goals must be accomplished                     within a certain time limit.

This approach added to the values-based concept provides specificity and focus to goal-creation.

Conclusion

People are naturally goal-oriented, but we must have valued-oriented goals. What are your values? Some people value family. Some people value knowlege. Do some soul-seaching and find your values to base your goals upon.