Let’s talk S.M.A.R.T. goals.
You've probably heard them, maybe even used to some degree in the past.
To refresh, we're talking about reworking bland, meaningless statements of desire into honed high-performance goals by applying the framework:
- Specific - a crystal-clear action that will be taken
- Measurable - something that can be quantified and tracked
- Attainable - an action that can be achieved within your current skill, resource and time limits
- Relevant - something practical that works towards your larger goals or mission
- Time limited - constrained by a deadline or schedule, so things aren't left hanging around a to do list forever
Let's bring this to life in a couple of examples:
Dumb goal: "Get fit again"
S.M.A.R.T. goal: Run 5 miles before breakfast, except for Wednesday and Sunday
Dumb goal: "Feel less stressed"
S.M.A.R.T. goal: Write my gratitude journal for 10 minutes after my shower each night
Feel the difference?
One last thing - some folks take up S.M.A.R.T. goals but still struggle to hit them. Remember that a goal, no matter how well crafted is useless without a feedback loop of measurement and learning. To quote an infamous boxer, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face".
So set a time in your daily schedule to review your goal result, what worked, what didn't and apply what you learned to improve your goal-setting in the future. Deliberate iteration is key here.
Now, let’s get S.M.A.R.T!
