ARE YOUR GOALS S.M.A.R.T?
Create and pursue S.M.A.R.T. goals. Successful people are objective. They have realistic targets in mind. They know what they are looking for and why they are fighting for it. Healthy people create and pursue S.M.A.R.T. goals.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reward Based, and Timely. Let’s briefly review each:
Specific – A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a related specific goal would be, “Join a gym and workout 3 days a week for the next 52 weeks.” A specific goal has a far greater chance of being accomplished because it has defined parameters and constraints.
Measurable – There must be a logical system for measuring the progress of a goal. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask yourself questions like: How much time? How many total? How will I know when the goal is accomplished? etc. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued efforts required to reach your goal.
Attainable – To be attainable, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. In other words, the goal must be realistic.The big question here is: How can the goal be accomplished?
Reward Based – Hold back on something you really want to give you extra motivation. An achieved reward will feel 100 times better when acquired. It can also be specific to your goal. I.e to drop 2 dress sizes over 6 months, reward: a new Bikini. Be regular at gym for a year, reward: a beach holiday.
Timely – A goal must be grounded within a time frame, giving the goal a target date. A commitment to a deadline helps you focus your efforts on the completion of the goal on or before the due date. This part of the S.M.A.R.T. goal criteria is intended to prevent goals from being overtaken by daily distractions.
When you identify S.M.A.R.T. goals that are truly important to you, you become motivated to figure out ways to attain them. You develop the necessary attitude, abilities, and skills. You can achieve almost any goal you set if you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that once seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them.