Set SMART Goals

If you want to achieve your goals, write them in a way that supports you to achieve them. Make them SMART goals.

Specific:

Make your goal specific, so that you can recognize it when you reach it. Your goals might be, “I’ll try to have a better relationship with my husband in the future”, or “I will do at least one thoughtful task for my husband per day this month”? Although one kind task a day doesn’t necessarily add up to an improved relationship, when I state a goal in language like this, I’ll know when I’ve achieved it, and then I can evaluate its effectiveness toward improving the relationship.

Measurable:

“I want to write more”, has a lack of energy. “I will write 1000 words per day, at least 5 days per week”, has energy that pulls me along. When I’m vague about what I say I will do, I’m vague with my actions. When I state my goal in measurable outcomes, I know how far I have to go, and I can celebrate when I cross the finish line.

Achievable:

“I want to bring peace to the world” may win you a beauty pageant, but it hardly inspires perseverance with the stuff of daily life. Set a goal you have a good chance of achieving, something more like, “I will work with my colleague to reach a mutually beneficial solution.” Set a stretch goal that inspires you to be more than you think you can be, but that in your heart you know you can achieve.

Realistic:

Can you achieve this goal with the time and resources you have? Training to run a marathon won’t happen in 2 weeks, and you might need a support team. In order to earn a living from teaching guitar, you need to know how to play guitar.  You can do it, for sure. But can you do it in the time frame? Have a good think about what’s realistic. There’s a greater danger that you sell yourself short and set your sights too low.

Time bound:

The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan, and a plan has a deadline. If you set no deadline for your goal, you’ll probably never get it done. “For the next few years, my priority is to clear my clutter.” Do you find that inspiring? “I will get rid of all the stuff in my cellar that I don’t need, and the rest will be in labeled boxes behind closed doors by the 31st of July.” That makes me want to stand up and cheer!

Give yourself every chance to achieve your goals. Make them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. Make them SMART goals.

4 thoughts on “Set SMART Goals”

  1. Thanks, Debby! This is a great post. I’m going to try to be “smart” from now on. Especially the one about setting and achievable and measurable number of words written each day.

    Catherine from WVU

  2. Hi Catherine. Thanks for visiting my blog again! I’m glad you find some of this useful. Do you have daily goals for writing?

  3. Debby, I aim to write every day, in general, but lately I must admit it’s been a struggle. I think your idea of setting an achievable goal is really important.

  4. Hi parlance, I’m now making Monthly Goals, still doing Weekly Planning and NOW scheduling my actions in my Outlook Calendar. Too often I postpone an important action because I think I need a big chunk of time, and then it ends up not getting done at all! That’s no good!

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