We all know goal setting is important, don’t we? We’ve seen the research. We’ve seen it work in others. We’ve even seen it work in ourselves. And yet we don’t consistently use this tool to get things done. Why not? Strike that — that’s a bad question. How about this one: How could you bring goal setting back into your life? How could you make the time to do something (set a goal) that will drastically improve your results, or help you meet a challenge?
Goal setting can be as simple as lining out the deliverables agreed upon at the end of a meeting. Sometimes this isn’t considered goal setting, but the principle is the same. This simplicity is one of the main reasons goal setting works so well. When we leave a meeting with clear expectations and a defined deadline, accountability is built in.
Most of us have heard the acronym SMART used for goal setting. I have a slight variation on this but use the same acronym because it is so useful and one of the better ones in business. In my version, the R is different than most and I elaborate on the others. There are key points that must be considered to make any goal effective. Be sure that you don’t miss any as you make your goals.
SMART
Specific – The more specific your goal, the better it will be. Use your imagination to get very clear about your goal. Big or small, make sure you know what you want to happen. And then make it even clearer. There really never is a time to stop making the goal clearer – that is where the fun is. Each time we revisit the goal (maybe only once for a small short-term goal or many times for a long-term goal) the goal will not only become clearer, but it will come more alive and refined. It usually becomes clear that the goal needs to change slightly (or drastically) and that is okay, because it constantly reestablishes the strategy and context of the goal.
Measurable – This may be most important attribute of any goal. It also can be the hardest. Some goals can be difficult to measure, but it must be done. If you don’t know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish, you won’t know how to do it or when you have succeeded. If you need to start with somewhat subjective measurements that’s okay. But keep working at making them more objective each time you clarify the goal, so that will be clear when the goal has been accomplished.
Achievable – Not believing that your goal is achievable is the quickest way to kill the goal. If you don’t believe it is even possible, you will not work to get all the clarity needed; you will have incongruent feelings about the goal every time you work on it. If someone else doesn’t think you can achieve your goal, it’s key for you to do the necessary work, including using your imagination, to make sure that you have enough belief in the goal for everyone. You can actually make the disbelief of others an asset – use it to fuel your desire to achieve the goal.
Resonant – A goal needs to inspire just one person. You. It’s not important that someone else thinks it’s worthwhile. It’s only important that it resonates with you, and that you can see the potential joy that would come from achieving the goal.
Time Bound – This is simple in theory but not always easy to set. There will be many reasons or excuses for not setting a time limit for your goal. But in the end, they are just excuses. They are just possibilities, outside yourself, that may or may not happen. Excuses keep you from pushing yourself to adhere to a schedule that will make your goal a reality. Remember that you can always change the date, but that is not a reason to not set a deadline now.
With a little practice, you will find that the acronym SMART can be used to set goals in almost any situation. The moment you try to skimp on the individual steps, you will will find your success rate falling because of the missing attributes of the goal.
Use one of the most valuable and proven productivity tools ever created. Take your goals to a new level, and reward yourself handsomely for the success that ensues.