“Oh, No! It is December of 2009, soon to be January of 2010 and I have to write yet, another list of New Year’s Resolutions (goals) that I will probably forget about in a few short weeks and feel like a loser for not completing those goals!” Sound familiar? This time of year, a lot of people agonize and stress over writing and committing to goals for the upcoming year. Tired of that trap? Tired of the feeling of failure? Want to try something different and simple?
What’s interesting is that most of us take more time in planning a vacation or a party than we do planning our futures! Regardless of what format you follow for creating goals…do something and put it in writing! There is an old proverb: “Wishing consumes as much energy as planning.” So, if you are at the end of 2009, wishing you had created a plan for 2009, wish no more for 2010! Instead do something, create a plan. Below is a process on how to create a plan that will lead you to success with this year’s goals and be sure they are in alignment with the spirit of who you are! The Soul of the Goal is in the process!
Proverb: He, who fails to plan, plans to fail. You will plan one way or another, so you might as well give it a shot!
Create a Plan: I recommend to my coaching clients to use the SMART formula when creating a goal.
S stands for Specific: This is the what and the how. What are you going to do? Use words such as: Create, Direct, Lead, Coordinate, Produce, Engineer and Organize. How are you going to do it? Use words such as: By, Through and With.
For example: “I want to lose weight.” This is too general. Be specific: “To lose weight by watching what I eat and exercising.”
M stands for Measurable: This is where you will quantify your goal. If you can’t measure it, you will not be able to achieve it! Use measures such as: Numbers, Dates, Hours, Minutes and Steps.
For example: “I want to lose 10 pounds by March, 2010 by exercising 4 days a week and eating 1200 healthy calories per day.”
A stands for Attainable: Quote by Peter Drucker: “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hope, but no plans.” Will you truly be committed to and passionate about this goal? Is this something you are willing to work at to make happen? What would be some of the road blocks you may come across? Do you believe you can do it? Look for the mental blocks that may hold you back! Is this goal do-able? Do you have the skills, knowledge and resources to accomplish this goal? There is a balance between stretching and challenging yourself to attain a goal and making it extreme and impossible to accomplish!
For example (building on the statement above), Adding Attainable: “I will lose 10 pounds by March, 2010 through exercising 4 days a week and eating 1200 healthy calories per day and by hiring a health coach to hold me accountable and break through barriers.”
R stands for Relevant: What is the purpose of this goal? Is this goal in alignment with your personal and professional mission statement? Relevancy is the authenticity check to be sure the goal is in alignment with who you are. Is this goal relevant to your vision? Is it harmonious, compatible and congruent with you and your purpose in life? Is it pertinent to your big picture goals?
For example (continuing to build on the goal above), Adding Relevant: “I will lose 10 pounds by March, 2010 through exercising 4 days a week and eating 1200 healthy calories per day and by hiring a health coach to hold me accountable and break through barriers. This goal is in alignment with my core value of living a healthy life style.”
T stands for Timely: Without a time commitment, we will tend to procrastinate! A clearly defined time frame creates structure and urgency; it gives us a reason to take action…now! Have a beginning, an end and landmarks to target along the way to keep the momentum going.
For Example (completing the statement above): “I will lose 10 pounds by March 1, 2010 through exercising 4 days a week, for 45 minutes and eating 1200 healthy calories per day and by hiring a health coach to hold me accountable and break through barriers. This goal is in alignment with my core value of living a healthy life style.”
That is a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely Goal!
Robert Louis Stevenson said: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” Sometimes you may have a day or brief time period where you “derail” from your goal. Don’t feel defeated! Just start again, day by day, step by step. You will reach your goals! The most difficult step is the first step!
You will quickly realize if the SMART goal is truly in alignment with your values. If it is not, you will not be motivated and the energy you have at the start will dwindle and burn out quickly. Then, you must re-evaluate the goal and go through the process again to find out which piece is not in alignment and rewrite the goal or perhaps let it go. Don’t be afraid to say, this is the wrong goal or wrong time for this goal. Goals are good for the soul so keep your soul happy!
Great article. It is true that many have hopes dreams and resolutions, but to few actually set specific goals to attain these hopes and dreams.
Using the smart strategy is a great way to finally start to realize these dreams.
Remember,m like it was stated in the article. “The first step is the hardest.” Just do it. If you start moving in the direction of your dreams then oppurtunities you never new existed will start to present themselves to you, but you have to take that first step.
Thanks for your feedback and comment! I visited your site and enjoyed your video! Cheers and Happy New Year! May all your goals, dreams and resolutions become a reality.