It’s the New Year and goals and  are a hot topic. I was doing some research on goals and I was reminded that if you don’t set S.M.A.R.T GOALS you may not achieve them.

I was going to call this post “Are Your Goals Smarter Than a 5th Grader’s” but I decided against it, even though it tickled my funny bone.

What are S.M.A.R.T goals?

The acronym S.M.A.R.T. first appeared in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Dorann. It was used to inspire those in business management to achieve their goals and over the years it has become a powerful self-help resource.

The acronym focuses on the goal setting theory and gives specific action steps to achieve your goals.When you follow these steps you’ll be empowered with confidence to achieve your goals.

How to set S.M.A.R.T Goals

You set smart goals by breaking down the theory of goal setting and achieving into simple steps by using the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

Your goals need to be:

S – Specific

Are your goals generalized or specific? If you’re not sure, now is a good time to assess them. By the way, your goals should be written down.

Here are examples of generalized goals:

I’m going to lose weight this year.

This year my business will be successful.

I’m going to blog more frequently.

These goals are specific

I am losing 20 lbs in 90 days.

I am increasing my gross receipts by 20% on or before the end of this year.

I am writing a blog post every week.

M – Measurable

You need to measure the progress of your goal. How will you know you’ve achieved the goal if it cannot be measured?

If your goal is to purchase a home – you will know that it’s accomplished when you move into your home. However, there are some goals that are obscure without measurable steps.

I have a goal to drink 8 glasses of water each day. It’s specific and measurable and I break it down into 2 glass increments 4 times per day. I’ve done it for such a long time that it’s now a habit. So much so that if I get busy and forget … an alarm goes of in my mind and I say “oops, I need to drink some water.”

Are your goals measurable?

A – Achievable

Even if you’re stretching yourself, you’ve got to believe it’s possible to achieve your goal, consciously and unconsciously. If your subconscious mind does not accept your goal as a reality, you’re going to have a difficult time achieving it.

Is your goal achievable? Has your subconscious mind accepted this goal as your reality?

R – Realistic

A realistic goal is a goal that can be accomplished with a step by step plan. You can create the steps yourself or a mentor, coach, teacher, or someone else can do this for you.

For example: you have a goal to create your first digital product for your website by February 2012 but you’re not feeling confident in your ability to get it done.  This is a  realistic goal, but if you don’t have a step by step plan, you’ll never get it done.

 T – Timely

A goal without a timeline will lag behind. You will slip into the “I will do it tomorrow syndrome.” And we both know that tomorrow never comes. If you want to be successful in achieving your goals, you’ve got to have a deadline.

It’s a wrap

Now that you know how to set S.M.A.R.T goals – start taking action today to achieve your number one goal.

Your turn

What steps do you take to go from goal setting to goal achieving?

To the unstoppable confident you!

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