Goals are more likely to be successful if they are SMART but what does that mean? No ones wakes up one morning and says 'today I'm going to set a stupid goal'. We all think we know what setting a goal looks like but there are ways to make it easier to achieve our goals than simply saying I'm going to lose 10lbs or I'm going to start going to the gym every day. Most of us have experienced the frustration of not meeting a goal and not quite knowing how we didn't accomplish it because it wasn't for lack of trying or not wanting to succeed so let's take a look at how SMART goals can make it easier to achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
Setting a SMART Goal
To set a SMART goal you follow a set of guidance around what you want the outcome to be broken down into simple steps to help you get clear about exactly what you are trying to achieve and what you need to do to get from point a to point be in a set timeframe. Often we are either too vague and wishy-washy about what we want to achieve or we are shooting for the moon before we've even built the rocket. Added to that we often underestimate the time it will take or we don't take into account other aspects that might impact our ability to achieve our goals for example we don't take into account that we may need other people to help with aspects of the goal we are trying to achieve. So let's get started.
S - Get SPECIFIC about exactly what you want to achieve, the more specific the better, ‘I want to get a better job’ is not specific better in what sense? Better money? Better hours? Better prospects? What exactly does ‘better’ mean? The more specific we make goals, the more likely we’ll be to achieve them
M - Make the goal MEASURABLE, think about how you will know if you have achieved the goal, what will achieving the goal look like? For example, if the goal is to lose weight, how much weight? Is it measured in dress size or pounds? Or if it is a fitness goal how will you measure the success of embarking on a workout program, is it measured in weight loss or by being able to complete a 5km run?
A - This leads on to how ACHIEVABLE is the goal you are setting yourself. If your goal is to lose 3 stone in 1 month is this really possible? We are not superhuman beings therefore we are unlikely to complete any goal that would need some sort of divine intervention to actually be achieved. So setting a goal of winning a million on the lottery in the next month is unlikely to come to fruition. So set a goal that is, with work, time and effort achievable.
R - This means being REALISTIC and that means being realistic not only about the goal but also about who you are. At this time of year, I see so many people jogging around the local park as I walk my dog in the early hours of the morning yet come to the end of January this number has dwindled to a few die-hard joggers. The reason is simple if (like me) the very thought of running even as a young, fit, active teenager filled you with dread then it’s unlikely to have you springing out of bed like an excited puppy now is it? And on that note, if you hit the snooze button at least 3 times before you can finally drag yourself out of bed and can barely hold a conversation until your second cup of coffee then how realistic is it that you’re going to spring out of bed an hour earlier to get a few laps around the park? So set a goal that you have a REALISTIC chance of achieving.
T - Set a TIME for the goal to be completed so you not only have a deadline to aim for but also because it can help to motivate you if you have an end in sight. For example, I often hear people say I’m want to lose 3 stone and then fail because they couldn’t see an end to the restriction. By setting a time limit to the goal, not only are you more likely to achieve the goal in the time frame but are more likely to make it to the time frame because you can see the finish line approaching and an end to the restriction/deprivation.
If you struggle to meet the goals you set yourself you might now be able to see where you may be self-sabotaging your efforts. You could be the person that always underestimates the time it takes to reach a goal or set goals that are so far in the distance that you get discouraged before you real the end or maybe you have unrealistically high expectations and set goals that are unobtainable. Hopefully, by working through the SMART goal system you may identify the areas you usually trip yourself up and finally set goals that are attainable and you start to see results.