Goal! Do You Have One for 2024?

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

December 31, 2023, means the new year 2024 is nearly here! At this time of the year, many people set New Year's resolutions. Many people want to make a change in life and others set a goal.

So, today we talk about the word goal. You may know this word because you shout "gooaaal" when your team scores. It is exciting! It is also exciting when we reach our personal goals.

A goal is something we want to reach. It is something we work toward. It is important to have goals in life and a plan to achieve them. A football player's goal is to score a goal, and a goalie's goal is to stop a ... goal.

Let's continue talking about sports. Many sports involve not only goals but also a goal line. A goal line gives the space on the field in which you can score or make a goal.

Let's talk about American football for a minute. That sport involves tall goal posts. To make a point, a kicker can kick a football between the posts and score. Now, imagine if you are kicking that ball. You have the goal posts in your sights. You kick! It looks good! It looks like the ball is going to go between the posts. But then, at the last minute, someone moves the goal posts, and your ball does not go through.

To move the goal posts as you are kicking the ball would not be fair. If someone moves the goal posts, they are changing the rules of the game or a situation to meet their own needs.

Let's say you are building a house for someone. Both of you agree on a design, plan and price to build the house, and a date to complete the building. As the date of completion arrives, the soon-to-be owner wants to change the design of the house. She says that she wants the new design for the same price.

You could say that she has moved the goal post! Or you could say that she has moved the goal line because some sports use a line and not a post. And some sports use both.

People who have the goal line or goal post moved on them may fall short of their goals. If you fall short of your goal you do not accomplish it. You do not succeed.

To reach your goals, it is a good idea to have a plan. Set out small steps you can do to reach your goals. And when you complete those small steps on your way to your end goal ... make sure to celebrate! And make sure no one moves the goal line on you.

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next year ...

I'm Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.

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resolution – n. a promise to yourself to do or to not do something

score – v. to win or get a point, goal, etc. in a competition, sport, or game

achieve – v. successfully bring about or reach

accomplish – v. to bring about (a result) by effort