SMART Goals for Success
It’s the eve of a new year and desire for change may be on your mind. Words have power and I find the word “goals” much more positive and appealing than the word “resolutions.” Consider this-goals are something specific you plan to achieve and you have action steps along the way to support your success. Resolutions on the other hand are often vague and imply the need to correct some “negative” behavior or pattern (e.g. “I need to: eat better, lose weight, exercise more, …..”) Without proper goal setting, these “resolutions” are often abandoned within weeks of January 1.
As you consider goals for 2018, increase your likelihood of success by making sure they are SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Action Oriented, Realistic, and Time Bound.
Time tested guidelines for creating achievable SMART goals.
- Specific: Reflect on what you really want, clarity will help you be specific and avoid vague, unfocused goals.
- Measurable: To determine your progress in meeting any goal it must be measurable, define what criteria will measure your success.
- Action Oriented: Keep it action oriented-have specific daily actions you can take to keep you on track.
- Realistic: Keep it realistic, break goals down into reasonable size to make them more manageable-unrealistic goals set you up for failure.
- Time Bound: Every goal should have a clear and reasonable timeframe in which the goal will be achieved.
Setbacks are not unusual, keep your focus on the goal, and make adjustments if necessary, you will be successful.
Need some extra support to set your SMART goals for 2018? Contact me to set up a free 30 minute Discovery Call and see what possibilities arise for you!