When setting personal goals, specificity is king. For example, just challenging yourself to “do more work” is excessively vague, as you have no way of tracking your progress, and no endpoint. 

       When setting personal goals, specificity is king. For example, just challenging yourself to “do more work” is excessively vague, as you have no way of tracking your progress, and no endpoint.  

       Simply put, if your goals aren’t quantifiable, achieving success can be challenging. 

       SMART goals are the answer, as you can break them down into five quantifiable factors. We’ll explore this in more detail shortly, but before that, we’ll talk a bit more about the importance of setting goals. Then we’ll discuss how the structure itself works and go over some examples of SMART goals.

Let’s get to it!

What Does SMART Mean?

SMART is an acronym that you can use to guide your goal setting.

To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be:

1)       Specific (simple, sensible, significant).

2)       Measurable (meaningful, motivating).

3)       Achievable (agreed, attainable).

4)       Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).

5)       Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).

How to Use SMART

Paul J. Meyer, businessman, author and founder of Success Motivation International, describes the characteristics of SMART goals in his 2003 book, "Attitude Is Everything: If You Want to Succeed Above and Beyond."Allow me to expand on his definitions to explore how to create, develop and achieve your goals:

1. Specific

Your goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won't be able to focus your efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it. When drafting your goal, try to answer the five "W" questions: 

ü  What do I want to accomplish?

ü  Why is this goal important?

ü  Who is involved?

ü  Where is it located?

ü  Which resources or limits are involved?

2. Measurable

It's important to have measurable goals, so that you can track your progress and stay motivated. Assessing progress helps you to stay focused, meet your deadlines, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving your goal.

A measurable goal should address questions such as:

ü  How much?

ü  How many?

ü  How will I know when it is accomplished?

 
3. Achievable

Your goal also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful. In other words, it should stretch your abilities but still remain possible. When you set an achievable goal, you may be able to identify previously overlooked opportunities or resources that can bring you closer to it.

An achievable goal will usually answer questions such as:

ü  How can I accomplish this goal?

ü  How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as financial factors?

4. Relevant

This step is about ensuring that your goal matters to you, and that it aligns with other relevant goals. We all need support and assistance in achieving our goals, but it's important to retain control over them. So, make sure that your plans drive everyone forward, but that you're still responsible for achieving your own goal.

A relevant goal can answer "yes" to these questions:

ü  Does this seem worthwhile?

ü  Is this the right time?

ü  Does this match our other efforts/needs?

ü  Am I the right person to reach this goal?

ü  Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment?

5. Time-bound

Every goal needs a target date, so that you have a deadline to focus on and something to work toward. This part of the SMART goal criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over your longer-term goals.

A time-bound goal will usually answer these questions:

ü  When?

ü  What can I do six months from now?

ü  What can I do six weeks from now?

ü  What can I do today?

I trust you find this information useful in setting- up and achieving your personal & professional goals.

For more information on how to learn further about how you can succeed in achieving your goals, develop new habits & attitudes you need to perform effectively & efficiently, Checkout the lesson I offer “Successful Career Development”

Stay safe, kind & considerate.