SMART Goals - Why is Goal Setting Important to your Success?

The quickest way to success is by setting goals.  We have all heard about it, been encouraged to do it, and usually have managed to avoid it.  The process of goal setting forces a person to take an honest look at their life.  The power behind success is the ability to be able to verbalize your dreams and desires and write them down in a usable form.

Using the SMART process demystifies the goal setting process.  What is SMART?

• SpecficThe goal statement must be specfic.  For example:  We all know that we should drink 8 glasses of water per day, but for many people while they desire to do that, don't.  So, let's use this example.  Drink 8 glasses per day is a specific goal.  Drimk more water would not be a specific goal.
• MeasurableObviously, if you want to drink 8 glasses of water per day, that is definitely a measurable goal.  But to do accurate measuring, you must have a type of chart to record your progress.
• Attainable StepsThe SMART process just calls this Attainable, but I like to add the word steps.  If you are not a good water drinker it would be unrealistic to start with 8 glasses of water per day.  Your enthusiasm would surely lag.  So break the process down into steps.
• RelevantRelevancy is very important to the success of your goals.  It is the why you want something accomplished.  Just to know that you should drink 8 glasses of water per day is a good thing, would that continue to motivate you?  How is it relevant?  Do you want to lose weight, would you have more energy, do you have health issues.  When following the why, the how happens followed closely by success.
• Time BoundPut a time frame on your goal.  There are long term goals and short term goals, but I have found that when starting the goal setting process, start with a short term one.  When you are able to see the results quickly, you will understand the importance.

Let's use our water drinking example and develope a goal.  We want to drink 8 glasses per day (specific) by the end of a month's time (time bound) to help lose weight. (relevant).  In this example, let's say we drink 3 to 4 glasses per day.

• Week 1 - Drink 5 glasses of water per day. (measurable) (attainable steps)
• Week 2 - Drink 6 glasses of water per day.
• Week 3 - Drink 7 glasses of water per day.
• Week 4 - Drink 8 glasses of water per day.

That almost seems too simple.  But that is the way it works.  By week 4 and maybe even by week 3, your habit of drinking water has changed and your goal accomplished.  Now drinking 8 glasses of water is a routine that you don't have to think about.

The SMART process works in all life aspects, whether personal, relationships, business, etc.  Sometimes the difficulty can be in making the goal measurable.  If you are having difficulty in applying SMART, you may need to break your goal down into smaller pieces.  But the original goal can be the long term goal with the break downs the short term goals.

It is very important, along with the measurable part, to include reward.  As you record your activity, once the day is completed, give yourself a reward, whether it is a check mark or a smiley face.  Give yourself a bigger reward at the end of the week.  It is also important in this process to not beat yourself up, if the day goal is not met.  Reaffirm your commitment to the next day and you will be back on track.

Start your goal process today.  Grab a piece of paper and write down all sorts of ideas on what changes you want to make in your life.  Remember to apply SMART and start off slowly with a small change.  You will quickly see the power of written goal setting.