Setting and achieving goals are at the core of everything we do. What we put our hearts and minds to accomplish brings about a deep sense of joy and fulfillment in our lives. It’s also true that what we think about, we bring about. This is not just a quick feel-good quip; this is a given reality. Our thoughts impact how we feel and in turn, they impact what we ultimately do. The outcomes we achieve (or don’t achieve for that matter), all point back to the objectives we set and the thoughts we ruminate on. So how do we get there? How do we make change that matters? How do we move from simple thought, to action? Goal setting.
Creating goals and crafting a plan for how you will reach your goal increases your probability of actually achieving them. Doing so with SMART goals – concrete goals that you strive to attain with a clear plan for accomplishing them – are one of the most effective ways to do so.
The S.M.A.R.T. framework is largely attributed to Peter Drucker, a highly influential thinker in business and the art of management, published in his book The Practice of Management. The S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for five characteristics that every goal should encompass and is an easy way to remember the process necessary to ensure each goal can achieve its objective. A goal that is S.M.A.R.T. needs to be: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.
Whether simple or complex, your goal can be made SMART. When each of your goals encompasses these five characteristics below, you create a roadmap for what you will do, how you will do it, and the boundaries needed to stay focused on what it is you want to accomplish.
Set a goal that is specific enough to be accomplished. A specific goal gives you momentum towards your outcome. To get started, utilize the Five W’s to define this: who, what, where, when, why. Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish? Where will this be achieved? When will I achieve it? Why do I want to achieve it? What are the conditions or limitations to it?
Determine what criteria you will demonstrate in order for the goal to be achieved. This is your metric of progress indicator. The questions “how many” and “how much” come in handy here. Additionally, consider what the end will be like when you reach this goal. For example, instead of “be healthier”, your goal might be “quit smoking and exercise three times a week”.
An attainable goal is also a stretch goal. Practically, you want to define what specific actions will result in you achieving your goal. Do you have what you need to do it? The time? The money? The skills? If not, how will you attain it? Have others done what you’re wanting to do?
This is something that should fit within your overall objectives. Is it realistic and within reach? Are you able to actually commit to achieving this goal?
Every goal needs a deadline. Without a deadline, your goal is just a wish. When do you want to achieve this?
With some insight on what SMART goals are, now its time to put it into action! By downloading my S.M.A.R.T. GOAL Worksheets below, I’ll walk your through how to put this framework into action. So why does this process work so well?
Those who write out their goals clearly are 1.2-1.4 times more likely to accomplish what they set out to achieve. According to a study by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, those who write down their goals are 42 percent more likely to achieve them if they write them down. The first page of the Goal Worksheet will help you do just that!
Remember the ‘M’ part of your S.M.A.R.T. framework? The Measurable piece? Sometimes an effective way to evaluate the trajectory of your target is to check in and evaluate how you’re progressing. If you’re sensing your goal is off, pivot and course correct. The second page of the Goal Worksheet will help you define both your practical next steps, as well as potential obstacles and solutions that may arise.
Nothing will squash a goal faster than defeat. Along the way, look for little wins to celebrate! Mine the gold in the process and rediscover what gave that goal life to begin with. When you complete your end goal, be sure to celebrate even more so. Then keep going!
To help you apply and live out the S.M.A.R.T. GOAL framework,
download your free copy of my S.M.A.R.T. GOAL Worksheet!
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