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knows not what harbor he seeks,
any wind is the right wind.
-Seneca
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Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals
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Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
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Specific style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>- A specific
goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To
set a specific goal you must answer the six "W" questions:
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>*Who: Who
is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits
of accomplishing the goal.
style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>EXAMPLE:
A general goal would be, "Get in shape." But a specific goal would
say, "Join a health club and workout 3 days a week."
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Measurable style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>- Establish
concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you
set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target
dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to
continued effort required to reach your goal.
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>To determine if
your goal is measurable, ask questions such as......How much? How many? How
will I know when it is accomplished?
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Attainablestyle='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> - When you
identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you
can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and
financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities
to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>You can attain
most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time
frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far
away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because
your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list
your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these
goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
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Realisticstyle='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> - To be
realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing
and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the
only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that
every goal represents substantial progress. A high goal is frequently easier to
reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of
the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they
were a labor of love.
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Your goal is
probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished.
Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have
accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would
have to exist to accomplish this goal.
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Timely - A goal should be grounded
within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there's no sense of urgency.
If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? "Someday"
won't work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, "by May 1st",
then you've set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.
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also stand for Tangible - A goal is tangible when you can experience it
with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When
your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and
measurable and thus attainable.
Please also see
Written Goals In 7 Easy Steps!
Top Achievement founder Gene Donohue.
