Describe a goal you have achieved

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 473 with Model Answer:

Describe a goal you have achieved that was set by yourself.

You should say:

• what goal it was
• how long it took you to achieve it
• what you had to do to achieve it

and explain how you felt after you achieved the goal.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

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Model Answer 1:
Setting up different goals and trying to achieve them is probably a very significant part of our lives. Needless to say, I am no exception in this regard, so I will go ahead and talk about one of the goals I achieved when I was a university student that I set myself. Thank you for this interesting topic.

Now, I am not really too sure as to how many people really set the goal of “boosting social networking” abilities, but I had to do it because, frankly speaking, I wasn’t really a very “sociable” person. In other words, I lacked the skills of interacting or communicating with people effectively, whether they were familiar or some strangers to me. Naturally, I did not have many people around me who I could call my “friends”, and I desperately wanted to change that situation.

But, unfortunately, improving “networking skills and abilities” was not something that could be achieved overnight as it required a rather methodical approach, a great deal of patience, and, of course, dealing with some awkward/embarrassing moments (because of saying “wrong things” to the wrong people at the wrong time, obviously) in the beginning. But, slowly but surely, I got the hang of it as I read some good books on “improving communication skills” and “how to become funny and humourous”. I also spent a great many hours watching many comedy movies in order to learn the art of being funny and friendly with people. By the way, I even needed to “bribe” my classmates to accompany me to the movies or restaurants, apparently because I was just too “boring” to hang out with. But, luckily, all my efforts and hard work paid off when I finally learnt the art of effective communication skills and making friends after more than 8/9 months.

Anyway, it felt really well and fulfilling when I managed to achieve my goal. After all, it gave me the confidence to communicate with all kinds of people from all walks of life, regardless of their age, race and ethnicity. It also made me feel confident about myself, as well as my ability to get things done.

Sample Answer 2:

Introduction:
Ohh! This one is a bit difficult for me to explain as I am not a frequent goal-setter and achiever. However, I will still go ahead, and talk about a time when I set a goal, worked hard and then accomplished it. Thank you for the opportunity to let me talk about it.

I've always believed that achieving a personal goal can be a very fulfilling experience. When I was thinking about one of my goals for this topic, I remember a particular goal that I set for myself and worked hard to achieve.

What goal it was:
The goal that I set for myself was to run a half-marathon. I had always been interested in running, but I had never run more than a 5K race before. Running a half-marathon was a big challenge for me, but I was determined to achieve it.

How long it took you to achieve it:
It took me several months of training to prepare for the half-marathon. I started by running a few miles each day and gradually increased my mileage over time. I also incorporated strength training and stretching into my routine to help prevent injuries.

What you had to do to achieve it:
To achieve my goal, I had to make some significant changes to my lifestyle. I had to wake up earlier each day to fit in my training runs, which meant sacrificing some of my social life. I also had to be very disciplined about my diet and make sure I was getting enough rest to allow my body to recover.

And explain how you felt after you achieved the goal:
When I finally crossed the finish line of the half-marathon, I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment. All of the hard work and dedication had paid off, and I had achieved something that I had previously thought was impossible. I felt proud of myself and more confident in my ability to set and achieve future goals.