Inside Our Program: Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals
by Alexis Burling, Volunteer since 2006

"Goals are dreams with deadlines."

Setting realistic and attainable goals is perhaps the most vital step in the journey toward making dreams a reality. How else can we reach our destination if we don't have a roadmap to guide us?

Over the last year, we in The Circle of Women program have been exchanging ideas about how to set goals and about why asking for support from the women around us in achieving these goals is so important. When using the SMART acronym, volunteers and facilitators alike have learned that by taking these five crucial steps, we can be well on our way to accomplishing our short-, mid- and long-term goals, and to fulfilling our dreams.

When thinking about making your dreams come true, try doing so . . . the SMART way:

Specific - Define your goal as simply and succinctly as possible.
Measurable - Will you recognize when you have achieved your goal?
Attainable - Make sure your goal is realistic and doable.
Results-oriented - What happens when your goal has been completed?
Timetable - Set a deadline for when you hope to reach your goal.


It works!