Well, here we are.
The halfway mark of the year.
It’s 6 months into 2019, this is right around the time everyone has fallen back into their bad habits, self defeating routines, and negative self talk as to why (once again) they haven’t been able to achieve their goals.
Let me tell you this now, just because we’re 6 months into the year doesn’t mean all hope is lost.
Falling off the high road is more common than you may think when it comes to goal setting.
I’ve done it, you’ve done it, the most successful athletes, creatives, and inventors have even done it from time to time.
The only difference between the ones who have succeeded and those that have failed is the fact that they decided to get smart about goal setting.
Well, maybe I should say S.M.A.R.T.
Keep following along, this will all make sense shortly.
There are two reasons our goals fall to the wayside.
Number one is we set goals too far fetched for the time frame we have given ourselves.
Number two, we set goals too vague so we don’t really know where to begin in the first place.
This is where the S.M.A.R.T system comes into play.
In short, a S.M.A.R.T goal is one that is Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Timely.
This system is incredibly simple and effective, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t use this when setting goals.
They would rather set off into the new year with a half cocked plan that has a 99% chance of ending in failure.
Here is a breakdown of each component of a S.M.A.R.T goal.
Specific
Your goal has a clearly defined end result. When you reach this result, you have succeeded. No Ifs, ands, or buts. As an example, “Getting in shape” is not a very specific goal.
Let’s turn that into “Losing 15lbs in 90 days”.
Now that’s much more specific and a starting point we can work with.
Measurable
Measuring your progress is one of the most important factors to the completion of your goal. If you can’t see that you’re making progress, you may just give up.
This is what we want to avoid at all costs.
Using the example of “Losing 15lbs in 90 days” we can accurately measure how much progress we’re making just by weighing ourselves weekly, monthly, etc.
Actionable
An actionable goal is one you can break down into specific steps to complete it.
Using the above example still, is we want to lose 15lbs in 90 days we can now turn that into 5lbs per month.
Further distilled that is 1.25lbs per week.
Now to go even further you would ask “How do I lose 1.25lbs per week?”
Exercising a few times a week, adhering to a diet devoid of sugars, and constricting caloric intake with a calorie counter are all fantastic examples.
Relevant
Many people set goals just because it sounds like something they should be doing, or maybe friends of theirs have set the same goal.
Do. Not. Do. This.
Set a goal that is meaningful to you that will actually have a real impact on your life and well being.
Whether it really is losing 15 pounds, or something like:
- Finally asking your boss for the raise you deserve.
- Enrolling in martial arts and training at least twice a week.
- Improving your home life by spending more quality time with your children.
- Rekindling the fire in your marriage by taking your wife on a different date every week.
The goal doesn’t matter as long as it’s one that is worth your while.
Timely
Set a deadline for this goal. Research has shown that those who set hard times and dates of completion for their goals are 91% more likely to complete them.
So with all of this in mind, take a look at your goals.
Are they a bit too vague?
Can you track them somehow?
What specific steps you can follow to complete them?
Do you actually care about completing these goals for yourself?
And is there a hard time and date of completion you can set for these goals?
If you have an answer to each of these 5 questions, then you have a S.M.A.R.T goal.
Now, do me (but more importantly yourself) a favor.
Sit down for just 10 minutes and think about the goals you set at the beginning of 2019.
Can you increase the potential of you completing them by turning them into S.M.A.R.T goals?
Give it a go and let us know how well this system worked for you.
