Have you recently thought about setting goals for the future? Goal setting is something we often hear or think about, but actually very few people sit down and articulate the things they want to achieve. If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. In addition to providing focus and direction, this will provide a measuring stick for determining whether you are actually succeeding. Research show that actually setting specific goals makes us more likely to achieve the things we want, and is important especially when we want to make a change. Even if you don’t achieve all the goals you write down, the best news is that setting goals will make you happier and more productive.
Most people set goals such as self-improvement, improving relationships, and to achieve something bigger in life. As you carefully consider what you want to achieve, move through the following tips to dial in a goal for yourself.
A ‘smart’ way to setup powerful goals is to use the SMART mnemonic. This will help you transform your resolution into an attainable goal.
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Relevant
T – Time-bound
1. Set a Specific goal. Set precise goals by adding dates, times, amounts so that you can measure your achievements. For example, “Exercise more” is too vague. Writing goals down your goals will put more weight to your goal and give them force. Write down your goals enthusiastically; this should be fun not work!
2. Make goals Measurable. It’s important to be able to track your goals at regular intervals. For example a fitness or weight loss goal could be tracked with an activity tracker such as a Fitbit. Also, you can try an app on your mobile device. These are great tools for keeping track of your progress.
3. Set Attainable goals. It’s important to set realistic goals that you can achieve. Don’t be influenced by others when setting goals, only you know what you can achieve. Also, the focus should be on performance goals, not outcome goals. For example, it can be difficult to fail at a goal for reasons beyond your control like in sports where an injury can play a part in the outcome, so focus on the performance.
4. Create goals that are Relevant. A relevant is goal is one that can be very rewarding in the short term by improving your happiness and set you on a path to achieving more lofty goals in the long term.
5. Have a Timeframe. Every goal needs a target date to work towards. If not you will have trouble staying motivated. When you achieve your goal, you will have complete satisfaction for having achieved it by the target date.
