Life Skills & Leadership: Unit 3, Session 2: SMART Goals | Page 19 of 67
“Here’s another version of the same goal written below the first. What makes ‘I will study agriculture at
City University for at least two years by the time I am 22,’ a better goal? (Possible answers: It tells what
the person will study. It tells where the person will study. It tells how long the person will study. It tells
when the person will go to the University.)
- Divide participants into groups of three to five. Ask them to look at 2A and B on Flip chart 1. Have them
talk in their group about what makes the second version of the goal (I will be hired for a job that pays at
least $$/hour at one of the factories in the city by this time next year) better.
a. Invite different groups to share one reason they think the second goal is better.
b. Then say:
“In both examples, the second version of the goal is better. Both of these versions are better because
they have several things in common. They are ...
Specific – They say exactly what will happen (study agriculture; be hired for a job).
Measurable – They say how much of the thing will happen (for at least tw years; at least
$$/hour).
Achievable – They help the person think big, make a stretch, and become inspired while still
being possible.
Realistic – They are meaningful to the person who wrote them.
Time-bound – They say when they will be finished (by the time I am 22; by this time next year).
“Take the first letter of each of these features and you have the word ‘SMART.’ If you can make all your
goals SMART, you will become much clearer about how to reach those goals.”
- Distribute Handout 1: SMART Goals and review it with participants. Share the examples in the top half
of the page and invite participants to give examples of their own. Respond to any questions they may
have about SMART goals.
- Direct participants’ attention to the second half of Handout 1 and say:
“On the bottom half of this page you can see several goals that are not SMART. Working with the
others in your group, I’d like you to rewrite them so they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and time-bound.”
- Distribute several copies of Handout 2: A Recipe for SMART Goals to each group. Say:
“You can use this handout to write SMART goals for each of the poorly written goals. Use the starting
sentences so that you make the goals specific, measurable, and time-bound. Put a mark in the boxes
next to achievable and realistic when you think you have achieved those elements, too.”
- Give groups about 20 minutes to work, then ask each to share one of the goals it rewrote. Invite other
groups to share how they rewrote the same goal. Be ready to point out the best parts of each goal.
