--- title: Setting Goals description: Winning continuing education and lifelong learning programs have a way of operating like a business and goal setting is one component of an operating system. image: http://gregsblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0147e29f047c970b01bb09249397970d-320wi --- [LERN Club Sign-In](http://beta.lern.org/club/) [![lern-logo.png](https://blog.lern.com/hubfs/June-folder/lern-logo.png "lern-logo.png")](http://lern.org) ** # Articles # Setting Goals Fri, Jul 29,2016 @ 04:25 PM by Greg Marsello | [![SMART Goals](http://gregsblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0147e29f047c970b01bb09249397970d-320wi "SMART Goals")](http://gregsblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0147e29f047c970b01bb09249397970d-pi)Every continuing education and lifelong learning program should set Annual Goals - 3 to 7 of the most important accomplishments that need to be completed during the year. Then, each Department/Team in the Program should set 3-7 Department/Team Goals - what the Department/Team must accomplish to support the Program’s Annual Goals. Each Quarter, each staff person should set 3-7 Individual Quarterly Goals that support the Department/Team Goals. As it is hard to remain focused for more than 90 days due to change, new requests, and so on, Individual Quarterly Goals ensure Department/Team Goals, thus Annual Goals remain visible and a priority. Winning continuing education and lifelong learning programs have a way of operating like a business (call it operating system) and goal setting is one component of an operating system.           ### LATEST NEWS Video: How to Get the Most From a LERN Membership LERN Video - The LERN Program Review: Position Your Unit for Success LERN Cancellation Rates and New Programs: A Lesson From Netflix Kathryn Lynch-Morin Ready for Liftoff: Drones and Drone Courses are More Popular Than Ever Kathryn Lynch-Morin Working with the University of Nebraska - Omaha LERN [Tweets by @LernUpdates](https://twitter.com/LernUpdates) [LERN Club Sign-In](http://beta.lern.org/club/)