Goal setting is as easy as thinking about, or writing down, a list of things you want or things you want to achieve. That’s only half of the story though. Millions of people set goals every year – right around midnight on December 31. We call that a ‘new years resolution’ and around 95% of people abandon those goals within the first 24 hours.
If you are really serious about your goals then you need to refine your goal setting process and put in place a plan to achieve those goals. A system that has become popular is the S.M.A.R.T. system. Whilst it was originally developed for project planning and development, it works just as well for setting personal goals.
S – Specific
Make your goals specific. Goals such as ‘I want more money’ or ‘I’d like to lose weight’ aren’t specific and they are easily forgotten. Instead, set a target weight or a target amount of money.
M -Measurable
Find a way to measure the progress of your goal. If you can’t measure your goal then you’ll never know if you have achieved it. If your goal relates to income, then keep good personal financial records so that you will be able to see your progress toward that goal. If your goal relates to weight then that’s easy – you just need to weigh yourself from time to time. The important point is that you need to be able to measure your progress.
A – Achievable
Your goal should be something you can achieve. It can be big and audacious, but it also requires your commitment. Think about your goal and the effort that will be required on your part to achieve it. If it’s too big, cut it down into smaller chunks. If you are still confident that you can achieve it then just go for it!
R – Realistic
Make sure it is something that is within your reach. Goals should push you and stretch your limits – whether that be the limit of your willpower, or the limit of your strength, if it doesn’t test your resolve or require some sweat then you won’t get much satisfaction. On the other side of that coin, it shouldn’t be something that is so difficult that it is out of reach. Realistic goals push us to our limits sometimes , but are very attainable if we have the necessary commitment and discipline.
T – Time Sensitive
Goals should always have a time frame or a deadline. Without a set time frame you can find yourself becoming a little bit lax with your goals and, if unchecked, that can go on for months or years. There’s a big difference between saying ‘I’m going to make $100k per year sometime’ and ‘I’m going to make $100k per year within the next 3 years’. With no time frame you could still be chasing those same goals in ten years time. Put a realistic time frame on your goals and you have a reason to try to achieve them as soon as you possibly can.
