I like this question. Make no mistake, many tutoring sessions are focused on addressing a short-term issue. That is a student may be having a specific problem with a specific topic, then mastery of that topic is the goal.
A large proportion of my students, however, I see on a regular basis. They, as with most students, need to learn how to learn. They need to learn how to stay engaged in the classroom when they hit a topic that they have no idea how to process or understand. They need to learn how to ask questions. They need to learn to focus on changing of habits as opposed to “motivation” to raise performance. (Motivation alone rarely works.)
Unfortunately, many schools rarely get into addressing these underlying issues that need to be turned into accomplishments. And, yes, from a topical point of view, helping the student to develop confidence to master a topic that they previously did not think they could handle is always the goal as well.
One of my prime accomplishments is developing a strong connection with my students. Nothing long-lasting is really possible without it.