From Starts to Finish - Setting New Goals For 2020

From accounting to the music industry, from googling careers to hating an internship, you've heard all about how we at the Career Center have gotten out starts. Everyone has a different path to their final destination, and that destination often changes along the way. Even though the finish line may change, you should never stop setting goals.

With the new year around the corner, now is the perfect time to start thinking about career and personal goals for 2020. I know what you're thinking, "I set goals every year, and I never keep them. Why should I bother?" Well, last year you didn't have this wonderful article to walk you through goal setting! Using the SMART goal acronym, you can develop your goals, which makes them more defined and achievable.

SMART stands for the following;
Specific: What will be accomplished? What actions will you take?
Measurable: What data will measure the goal? How much? How well?
Achievable: Is the goal doable? Do you have the necessary skills and resources?
Relevant: How does the goal align with broader goals? Why is the result important?
Time-Bound: What is the time frame for accomplishing the goal?

By using this framework to develop your goal into a SMART goal, you define exactly what you're looking to achieve and how you'll go about doing it.

As Picasso once said, "Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."

Write down your SMART goal and place it in a spot that you look at every day. This will help motivate and remind you of your commitment, which will ultimately help you achieve your goal. Good luck with the rest of your finals, and we will see you in 2020!


Michael Goldin
External Relations Graduate Assistant, Hofstra University Career Center