If you are the kind of person who likes to set goals, SMART goals are the way to go. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. In this article, I'd like to discuss each part of a SMART goal so that when you sit down to write out your goals, you will be able to have wonderful clarity.
In contrast to being general, you want your goals to be specific. Decide precisely what the objective is, why you wish to accomplish it, and exactly how you plan on achieving it.
As an example, if your goal is to "start running", that is too general. You want to be more specific. It would be better to say,"I want to run a 5k in 90-days". This is statement is more clear and states your goal in more detail.
You want to be able to measure your progress when you set SMART goal. Therefore your objectives must be quantifiable. Exactly what does this mean? It means that anyone can see when you accomplish or make progress on your goal. For instance, "I wish to be a great cook," cannot be measured. Rather, a quantifiable objective would be, "I wish to cook gourmet meals for my family 3 nights a week".
You make sure that you can in fact achieve the goals you set within a particular quantity of time. If you set objectives that are not achievable or set a period of time that is impossible, you will set yourself up for irritation and failure. Be sure that your SMART goals are attainable and achievable in the time frame you set.
You can set milestones toward attainable goals to help you stay motivated. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds by summer, you can set a goal to lose 5 pounds per month for four months. If you look at it this way, you will have attained your goal by summer.
SMART goals are realistic. If you are a below average golfer and do not have a lot of free time to devote to golf, having a goal to become a professional golfer might not be realistic for you. If you want to begin eating healthy, having the goal of never eating sugar again might to be realistic.
When you set SMART goals you want to also set time limits that are reasonable for you. If you do not have much free time, you probably want a longer time frame then if you have a lot of free time. A person that travels 5 days a week for work and has two small children will not have as much time to devote to new goals as a person just out of college with lots of free time. Set your time line based on your available time.
As you set about achieving your objectives throughout life, keep in mind to apply the SMART concept and you will discover that you achieve your objectives more effectively. If you have not set any type of goals for yourself recently, or if your list requires some adjusting. Spend some time making SMART goals for yourself now.
In contrast to being general, you want your goals to be specific. Decide precisely what the objective is, why you wish to accomplish it, and exactly how you plan on achieving it.
As an example, if your goal is to "start running", that is too general. You want to be more specific. It would be better to say,"I want to run a 5k in 90-days". This is statement is more clear and states your goal in more detail.
You want to be able to measure your progress when you set SMART goal. Therefore your objectives must be quantifiable. Exactly what does this mean? It means that anyone can see when you accomplish or make progress on your goal. For instance, "I wish to be a great cook," cannot be measured. Rather, a quantifiable objective would be, "I wish to cook gourmet meals for my family 3 nights a week".
You make sure that you can in fact achieve the goals you set within a particular quantity of time. If you set objectives that are not achievable or set a period of time that is impossible, you will set yourself up for irritation and failure. Be sure that your SMART goals are attainable and achievable in the time frame you set.
You can set milestones toward attainable goals to help you stay motivated. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds by summer, you can set a goal to lose 5 pounds per month for four months. If you look at it this way, you will have attained your goal by summer.
SMART goals are realistic. If you are a below average golfer and do not have a lot of free time to devote to golf, having a goal to become a professional golfer might not be realistic for you. If you want to begin eating healthy, having the goal of never eating sugar again might to be realistic.
When you set SMART goals you want to also set time limits that are reasonable for you. If you do not have much free time, you probably want a longer time frame then if you have a lot of free time. A person that travels 5 days a week for work and has two small children will not have as much time to devote to new goals as a person just out of college with lots of free time. Set your time line based on your available time.
As you set about achieving your objectives throughout life, keep in mind to apply the SMART concept and you will discover that you achieve your objectives more effectively. If you have not set any type of goals for yourself recently, or if your list requires some adjusting. Spend some time making SMART goals for yourself now.
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