How To Set Smart Goals

In deciding to set a goal you must first understand what goal setting is and how the correct technique can impact on your life in very positive way.

Let us be clear all successful people set CLEAR, SPECIFIC GOALS and that is the foundation of goal setting whether you use the acronym SMART or any other it all boils down to this. Many people set vague or confused goals and wonder why they never come to fruition, in fact I would go as far as to say that unsuccessful people either do not set goals or they may set unspecific goals.... "I wart to be happy"...."I want to be rich".

If you want to use the SMART acronym it stands for Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Realistic and Timely.

So having established what SMART stands for can we use it as a foundation for successful goal setting and personal achievement.

SPECIFIC: In order to develop a specific goal I am sorry you cannot do so on a whim in an instant, it does require that awful word WORK! I suggest you find some time when you can sit down in a quiet place and write down everything that comes into your mind that you may want, at this stage I do not care if it is an Aston Martin or a 60 foot cabin cruiser that you write down whatever comes into yhour mind goes onto the paper. Only when you have exhausted your mind, if you are like me you will now have over 100 items, do you go through and cross out according to SMART that is the ones that at this stage are not attainable or realistic. Keep going until you are down to two or three left then taking each in turn write out the goal in as great a detail as possible see yourself attaining the goal and write out details of the impact it will make on your life. You will probably find that only one of the goals you write out in detail meet the criteria of the SMART process - this is your major definite purpose your specific goal.

Measurable: In order to be measurable you must set out a deadline when you are going to reach your goal that way you can measure your progress toward it. By measuring your progress you will stay on track and remain motivated as you see yourself getting closer and closer to the realisation of your goal. Setting a deadline brings out the best in you and increases your commitment to succeed.

To know if your goal is measurable ask yourself "How will I know when it is accomplished?"

ATTAINABLE:- This is where many people have a lack of understanding in goal setting. If your goal is very easy to attain motivation levels will never be such that you will even attain this simple goal. A goal needs to stretch you out of your comfort zone but still remain attainable in your mind. Even if it means learning new skills if you believe you can do it you will do it. As Napoleon Hill said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe that he will achieve".

Another task is vital in any form of successful goal setting ---- Writing Down Your Goal(s). In writing out your goals in great detail, that is not just the goal but how you will feel, how it will impact on your life, get a clear visual image of yourself exactly as you would be after having achieved your major goal and set it in writing. If you do so you are 75% the way toward achieving your goal and in the top 3% of successful people in the Western World.

REALISTIC: What do I mean when I say realistic, after all I have just said it should be attainable - is there a difference? - YES A goal can be both high and realistic, you are the only one that can decide what to you is realistic. As I said above that so many make the mistake of thinking they are setting goals that are easily attained or fanciful, importantly a goal must be realistic, that is not to say that it cannot be challenging. For if your goal is challenging you will develop on way to personal achievement.

How can you tell if it is realistic, one clue would be an honest appraisal by you, if you can honestly see that the goal is attainable even though you may have top learn new skills then it is realistic.

TIMELY:- It is not worthwhile setting goals for more than 5 years time, the world can change so much in that time frame. That is not to say you cannot see where you want to end up in 10 or even 15 years but they cannot be goals and they must contain facilities for modification. However it is imperative that you set a time frame for the realisation of your goal. For a start it will make your goal more measurable and the simple rule of goal setting is begin with the end in mind and know when you are going to get there.

It is no good setting yourself to be a millionaire by next week if you have nothing today, yes you could visualise all you want and see your self with barrow loads of cash but if you have got nothing today getting to that stage in seven days would be unrealistic no matter how desirable.

However when you set a time frame do not set it too far into the future, if it has to be a long way off it could be a dream not a goal.

Now feel it >>>> If your goal does not turn you on >>> Question it - it is probably not a goal.