Presented “The Power of Proper Goal Setting” at DeMatha Catholic High School

Last week, I had the privilege of presenting a condensed version of my keynote, The Power of Proper Goal Setting, to two groups of high-performing students in the Mentorship Program at DeMatha Catholic High School – my alma mater.

For me, it was more than just a presentation. It was a full-circle moment.

While at DeMatha, my Homeroom Teacher, Freshman History Teacher, and eventual Basketball Hall of Fame honoree was none other than Morgan Wootten. At the time, Morgan was building his reputation as the winningest high school basketball coach in the nation. But to me, he was also a customer on my Washington Post paper route. That route was more than just a job – it was how I paid my way through DeMatha.

One fall evening in 1964, while collecting for the Post, Coach Wootten asked if I had a little time to discuss the elements of Proper Goal Setting. Evidently, he saw promise in me – not as a basketball player, but as a young entrepreneur.

That evening, we spent nearly an hour talking through the fundamentals of setting goals. I didn’t collect much money that night. But what I did collect was far more valuable: wisdom that has guided me for the rest of my life.

Not long after, I created the acronym SCAMPS as a framework for properly setting goals:

• S – Specific with a Strategy. Every goal needs precision and a roadmap.
• C – Challenging. If it doesn’t stretch you, your brain won’t fully engage.
• A – Attainable. Your brain is smart—if the goal isn’t realistic, it won’t even try.
• M – Measurable. You need clear benchmarks to track progress.
• P – Public (selectively). Share your goal only with supportive people who will hold you accountable.
• S – Specific End Date. A deadline keeps you on track and ties directly to measurability.

A year later, I applied these principles. First, I set the goal to pay my way through college at Assumption (now Assumption University). Then, in the summer of 1969, I took on another audacious goal: to hitchhike from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles in just 5 days. That journey—and many others that followed – became the foundation of my upcoming book, Thumbs UP, which shares the stories of 15,000 miles of hitchhiking adventures while tying them back to the power of goal-setting.

Fast forward to last week at DeMatha. The students in the Mentorship Program were fully engaged. They asked insightful questions – not only about my hitchhiking adventures but also about how they could apply Proper Goal Setting to their own lives.

It was deeply rewarding to pass along the same knowledge Morgan Wootten once shared with me. What began as a simple conversation on a paper route decades ago has grown into a lifelong mission: helping others discover the power of Proper Goal Setting to achieve their own audacious goals.

Permission to Reprint Articles by Bill Humbert

Permission is granted to all print, broadcast, and electronic media to reprint articles authored by Bill Humbert, provided the following conditions are met:

1. Inclusion of Contact Information

1. The article’s closing bio and contact information must be included in full.
2. For electronic publications, a live, clickable link to https://www.RecruiterGuy.com must be included within the body of the article.
3. Provision of Published Copies
4. For print publications, one physical copy of the publication featuring the article must be mailed to:
   Provocative Thinking Consulting, Inc.
   2590 Norwich St.
   Fitchburg, WI 53711
5. Fee for Non-Compliance
6. A fee of $300 per article will be charged for articles published without the closing bio and contact information.
7. Editing and Adjustments
8. Permission includes reasonable edits for:
   a. Content updates and industry-specific examples.
   b. Adjustments to article length.
   c. Changes to article titles.
9. Electronic Publishing Requirements
10. All electronic publications must include a live, clickable link to https://www.RecruiterGuy.com.

For any questions or clarifications, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Bill Humbert at Bill@RecruiterGuy.com.

---

Bill Humbert’s Bio

With over 40 years of expertise as a Professional Talent Attraction Consultant and 26+ years as an Expert Career Coach, Bill Humbert is uniquely positioned to speak, author, and consult on Talent Attraction, Career Search, and Goal Setting.

Having presented to audiences on three continents (Europe, Africa, and North America), Bill’s career began in 1981 as a fee-based recruiter in Washington, D.C. In 1990, he founded his consulting business, shifting to a flat monthly fee model and successfully serving companies across diverse industries, including telecom, construction, financial services, manufacturing, management consulting, and renewable energy.

Notably, Bill recruited the Chief Operating Officer for a restaurant chain, with her tenure starting on March 1, 2023.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill demonstrated thought leadership by authoring 104 consecutive weeks of #TalentAttractionTuesday and #JobSearchFriday blogs, which are available on RecruiterGuy.com. He has a rich Article Bank with 400+ Articles.

As a career coach, he has guided hundreds of professionals toward successful career transitions over the past 26 years. He is also the author of three career search books, including the highly acclaimed EXPECT SUCCESS! The Science of the Over 50 Career Search, which received a 5-star review on readersfavorite.com/book-review/expect-success