BE “S.M.A.R.T.” ABOUT GOALS
Last month, with the approach of the return to school, the Youth Program centered our theme around vision boards that represent goals, dreams, and aspirations. The visual representation of a vision board gave each youth an idea of how to go about reaching their goal. We used the acronym SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to create a small but realistic goal that could be crossed off a list, for example: “I will walk my dog for 15 minutes after school for the next month so she can get some steps in and fresh air.” The selection of images and words on the vision boards aligned with each youth’s values and interests. You can continue to practice using this method at home.
SMART Goal questions to ask:
- Specific- What small steps can I take to accomplish this goal?
- Measurable- How will you measure progress and know this goal has been met?
- Attainable- Are there any challenges or requirements I have to keep in mind?
- Relevant- Why is this goal important to me?
- Time-Bound- When do I plan to achieve this goal? Deadline?