Creating S.M.A.R.T Goals
September 19, 2008
Before attempting to create your goals, you should have first followed step one in The 5-step plan for successful business management, and written a mission statement. By knowing what your purpose is, you can then progress to setting-up goals that will help you achieve your mission.
Here is where the S.M.A.R.T Goals acronym comes in. I love acronyms; they are such great memory aids!
S. Specifc. You must be specfic when writing goals. This includes the “who, what, where, when, and why”. In the example, “I want to be rich, it is way too vauge. You will not likeley accomplish anything, becuase goals are suposed to be a roadmap for your sucess. What map have you seen that says I want to get to Point A with out giving you specific directions to get there? Without sepcifics it is just a passing thought or a pipedream.
M. Measurable. Now that your goals are targeted and specific, you also need to make them measureable. When you have a method to measure your progress, you are much more likely to stay on the right track and reach your target. Only then can you experience the delight and satisfaction of actually accomplished your goal (what you set out to do).
A. Achievable. Be careful to neither set the bar to low nor two high, but make sure it is within your power to achieve. If you set the bar too low, and your goal is achieved too easily, you will often be left feeling dissatisfied without a true sense of accomplishment. However, goals you set which are too far out of your reach, will also leave you feeling dissatisfied if not, overwhelmed and they are setting the stage for failure. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!
R. Relevant. In order to maintain your focus, you must choose goals that are relevant to your purpose or mission. If start out by writing a mission statement as you should have, you can begin to see ways to achieve your mission, and therefore set goals as milestones. But if your goals are not in harmony with your mission, then you are not any closer to achieving your stated purpose.
T. Time-bound. Always include a timeframe when creating goals. This forces you to be accountable for the management of your time and well as having something to look forward to - completion! Don’t just expect your goals to magically just happen “someday”. With no timeframe attached to it, there is not sense of urgency. Start planning NOW with a clear picture of when they will become a reality.
This post is authored by Melissa Wadsworth, Productivity Specialist and CEO of Reno Helper. Reno Helper is the provider of executive support services, real estate agent (realtor) support, and virtual assistant services. You may use all or part of this post as long as you give credit to the author, and link back to both the website and the individual post.
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