Do you ever feel as though you’re setting yourself goals and getting nowhere with them? If so, you are not alone. You could benefit from setting yourself SMART goals.
Setting goals is an important part of personal and professional development. However, not all goals are the same. To ensure that your objectives are clear, achievable, and lead to success, it’s important that you follow the SMART criteria.
People set goals for different things and this is what makes reaching them vary from person to person. Whether you have set a goal to finish your work on time or to exercise more, the outcome all depends on whether or not you stick to it.
But, what are SMART objectives and how can you set them? That’s exactly what we will be discussing in this blog! Read on for more.
What Does SMART Stand For?
| Letter | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|
| S | Specific | What is it you want to achieve and how do you plan on doing this? |
| M | Measurable | Is your goal trackable? What data will you use to determine if you have met the goal? |
| A | Achievable | Is your goal achievable? Have you given yourself enough time to reach it? |
| R | Relevant | Is your goal relevant to your organisation? |
| T | Time-bound | What is the deadline you have given yourself to meet the goal? |
Specific
The ‘S’ in SMART means your end goal should be well-defined, clear, and focused. Being specific provides a clear target, giving you a roadmap to follow.
Example: Instead of setting yourself a vague goal like ‘I want to lose weight’, you should aim to set a specific goal, such as ‘I will aim to lose 10 pounds in the next three months’.
Understanding the difference between saying ‘I want to get better at time management’ and ‘I will dedicate 30 minutes each morning to prioritising tasks and creating a daily schedule’ will allow you to focus on your goal as you are more specific.
Measurable
‘M’ stands for measurable, which emphasises the importance of reaching your goals. Measurable goals allow you to track progress and determine when you’ve successfully achieved your objective.
Example: If your goal is to ‘increase monthly sales’, consider setting a measurable SMART target such as ‘achieve a 20% increase in sales over the next 3 months’.
Measuring progress adds a sense of accountability and motivation. It makes it easier to evaluate your success.
Achievable
The ‘A’ in SMART stands for achievable. While it’s essential to dream big, setting unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and demotivation.
Ensure that when you set your goals, they are challenging but realistic, taking into account your resources, skills, and limitations.
Example: Instead of aiming to ‘become a millionaire overnight’, consider a more achievable goal like ‘I will aim to increase my savings by 10% each month’. These goals are more realistic and provide a sense of accomplishment as you progress.
Relevant
‘R’ signifies relevance. Your goals should align with your overall objectives and contribute to your long-term vision.
Example: If your career goals are related to advancement, a relevant goal might be ‘complete a certification course to enhance professional skills’ rather than a goal that does not directly contribute to your career growth.
Time-bound
Finally, the ‘T’ represents time-bound, which stresses the importance of setting deadlines for your goals. Without a time frame, goals may lack urgency and focus. A deadline creates a sense of urgency and helps you find time and resources effectively.
Example: Instead of saying, ‘I want to learn a new language’ a time-bound goal would be, ‘I will learn how to speak Spanish within six months’.
If you set yourself a goal but don’t give yourself a time limit, you can neglect your goal, which means it won’t be completed in time.
How Can You Set SMART Goals?
Are you aware of the SMART criteria for goals but unsure of how you can set them? If so, we can help. In order to set effective SMART goals, start by reflecting on your overall objectives. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can set SMART goals:
Step 1: Reflect on Your Objectives
Ask yourself… What do I want to achieve in my personal or professional life? Take the time to identify your long-term aspirations and break them down into smaller, manageable parts.
Step 2: Define Specific Goals
When defining your goals, focus on the specifics. Be clear about what you want to accomplish. Instead of a general goal like ‘I want to improve my fitness’, be more specific: ‘I will aim to run 5K within three months’.
Step 3: Make Your Goals Measurable
Incorporate measurable elements into your goals. Determine how you will measure progress and success. For example, if your goal is to enhance your professional network, set a target such as ‘attend two networking events per month’ or ‘connect with five new professionals on LinkedIn each week’.
Step 4: Assess Goal Relevance
Check the relevance of your goals. Make sure that each goal contributes to your overall objectives. If a goal doesn’t align with your vision, reconsider its significance and impact on your long-term plans.
Step 5: Set Timeframes
Finally, assign deadlines to your goals. Determine when you want to achieve each objective. Whether it’s a short-term or long-term goal, having a timeframe provides structure and helps you stay on track.
Following these five steps will help you to set realistic, achievable goals without feeling too overwhelmed and disheartened.
Set Yourself SMART Goals With MOVE
While SMART goals offer a structured approach to goal-setting, challenges may still arise, which is why it’s essential to remain adaptable and reassess your goals regularly.
If circumstances change or if you begin to face challenges along the way, be open to modifying your goals while ensuring they remain aligned with your overall vision. SMART goals provide a framework for setting objectives that are clear, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Whether applied to your personal or professional life, incorporating the SMART criteria into your goal-setting process enhances your chances of success. If you are a business owner and feel you are still struggling or could benefit from that extra bit of support, we at MOVE can help.
We understand how stressful and time-consuming it can be to set goals, which is why we can work with you to help your business thrive. Here at Move, we offer a range of services to help you and your business grow.
Our business coaching services can help you identify and set goals for your business. But is business coaching right for you? We can assure you it is! For more information on the services we offer, contact us today at 07852 970 718.
Mark is a multi-award winner in business networking and relationship building. He is passionate about coaching and mentoring business owners and professionals through 1-1 & group coaching, team performance workshops and group mastermind sessions.