Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Goals give us direction and help us to dare ahead in life and guide us through a specific path. With creating goals, we start looking at the bigger picture and then we walk towards accomplishing our important hopes and dreams.

Draft two or three goals that you want to work towards in the next six months. To define these goals use the S.M.A.R.T. technique. S.M.A.R.T means

. Specific
. Measurable
. Attainable
. Realistic
. Timely

Specific:- Goals should not be set to waffle, as unclear goals produce unclear results. A specific goal is easier to achieve than a vague and generalized one. For example, a general goal would be Get in shape. But a specific goal would be Join a health club and workout for 3 days a week. When you are specific about your goals then you can harness the power of your dreams and march ahead towards action. This action then leads you on, towards achieving your goals. Once you set your priorities and manage your time well, you can expect good results.

Measurable:- Fix a concrete criterion for measuring progress towards the achievement of each goal you set. It means that you set goals that are measurable. Your goals should be such that you know how much you have accomplished and how much further you have to go. You would never know which way you are treading, unless you measure an S.M.A.R.T goal.

Attainable:- One of the biggest mistakes people usually make is that they set high goals that are unattainable. Its very important to set achievable goals. Attainable goals are those goals which are realistic and which can be attained in a shorter span of time. Your goals should not be out of reach and it should challenge you to grow, so that you can reach forward to achieve them. An S.M.A.R.T goal is always attainable. You can attain all your goals, if you plan every step wisely and establish a time frame so that it lets you free to carry out the necessary action. By listing your goals, you can build your self-image and see yourself worthy of these goals.

Realistic:- There are some goals that are not realistic. To be realistic, your goal must represent an objective towards which you are willing to work. Be sure that your goal represents substantial growth. Your goal can be realistic if you think it is attainable. For example, if you are overweight and you want to lose 150 pounds, the goal is attainable only if you make it realistic. If you think that you can do it in 5 months then it is unrealistic, but if you think that you can achieve success in 18-24 months, then it is realistic and attainable.

Time:-Your goals should have a timeframe for achievement. Life is more productive because there is a timeframe is connected to it. Can you imagine life without people ever dying? One of the most powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has a definite end and you know the time you would take to accomplish it.