SMART goals are the way to get things done. Goal setting is equal parts art and science. You real
ly have to think and focus onto the things that you need to improve or the things you really want to accomplish when setting these goals. Setting goals is not a passive activity and requires much thought to actually get this right.
Many people create goals that simply don’t work, but if you’re in business, you don’t have the luxury of creating goals that don’t work. You need to work effectively and you need goals you help you do it.
Here is a great way to create SMART goals that work that keep you on track.
They’re called SMART goals and the acronym SMART will help you to remember the things that each goal needs to be:
Specific:
Your SMART goal needs to be stated in a way that is clearly defined. Saying, I should work more, is not a goal that will be kept. However, saying, I am going to work a total of 8 hours each day, is a goal that is much clearer and specific.
Measurable:
This is closely related to the above attribute except that it also includes a way to make sure you are on track. A SMART goal that says, I want to make more money, isn’t measurable. However, a goal that says, I want to earn $3000/month, is a far more measurable goal. Its easy to see, at the end of the month, whether or not you achieved it.
Actionable:
This means that your SMART goal should be something that you need to do yourself in order to accomplish it. If you want to increase your income this year, its not realistic to say, I’m going to win the lottery this year, because you have no control over whether you will win the lottery or not. However you might say, I’m going to increase my sales efforts by cold calling 10 people each day, which is something you can take action on yourself.
Realistic:
SMART Goals that are actually achievable are much better and far more motivating. You’ll feel better about yourself when you do hit goals than if you constantly shoot for them and fall short. Realistic goals should not be so easy that you hit them every single time but should not be so hard that you never reach them at all.
Time-oriented:
Similar to the measurable attribute, your SMART goal should have a timeframe for you to accomplish it in. Deadlines help people achieve their goals. If you anchor your goal to a time, you’ll be able to watch your progress.
You can remember this with the acronym, SMART, so that when you’re creating goals, you can create better goals for yourself. This is a popular goal-setting acronym in business, although occasionally the words are changed slightly to reflect the needs of the business.
This worksheet above can be downloaded by clicking the link beneath it. Using such a template can really help you understand SMART goal setting and help you stay focused on making them correctly.
If you missed the previous posts in this series, you can get them here and here.
