SMART Goals for New Families 2025

"This year I'm going to get straight A's!"

Come January, countless students make the same bold declaration.  Filled with optimism, they race out of the gates completely oblivious to the fact that 91 percent of them will trip within three weeks. You read it right.  Only 9 percent of people adhere to their New Year's resolutions. The difference between those who make it and those who break it is simple… the winners have an actionable plan and support in place.   

Case in point, in January 2023, we had our first call with Sarah, who told us that she just couldn’t do science.  She received a B- in Biology, which zapped her confidence.  Today, she's leading her school's Environmental Club and just won the district Science Fair.

The Secret? A Two-Step Process That Changed Everything:

Step 1: Start with some deep reflection.

Before setting goals, Sarah met with her to discuss the following:

• What worked in 2024? ("My study group for Spanish was amazing")
• What didn't? ("I always left Biology homework until the last minute")
• What drained her energy? ("Trying to memorize everything the night before tests")
• What energized her? ("Actually doing the lab experiments!")
• What made her proud? ("That ecosystem project I actually enjoyed")
• What did she regret? ("Not asking for help sooner")
• Who were her biggest supporters? ("My dad never gave up on me")
• What did she learn about herself? ("I learn better when I can see things in action")

Step 2: Transform wishes into SMART Goals.

1. Set SMART Goals. Sarah and her mentor then created a structured path forward. Instead of "I want better grades," we guide students to create goals that are: 

• Specific: "Raise my Biology grade from B- to A-"
• Measurable: "Complete all homework assignments one day early"
• Achievable: "Study 45 minutes daily with active recall techniques"
• Results-oriented: "Understand each unit well enough to explain it to others"
• Time-bound: "Achieve this improvement by the end of the spring semester"

2. Build Success Systems - Sarah's mentor helped her create a concrete plan as follows:

• Sunday: Preview week's material (30 mins)
• Daily: Active recall practice (15 mins)
• Weekly: Study sessions with mentor (1 hour)
• Monthly: Practice tests and progress review

3. Maintain Momentum - Her mentor had regular check-ins and adjustments:

• Weekly progress tracking
• Monthly goal reviews
• Celebration of small wins
• Strategy adjustments based on results

Here's a pic of me doing my annual reflection and setting my SMART goals for 2025 - I felt so grateful to have beautiful scenery to do it in! I travelled to New Zealand this winter break with my fam :)

Your Child's 2025 Success Story Starts NOW

Ready to help your child transform their academic and extracurricular dreams into reality? Don't let another year of potential go unrealized. Take the first step.

Let’s smash the 91 percent failure rate and set your student up for success in 2025.

With gratitude and curiosity always,

On behalf of the Curious Cardinals team