How Setting SMART Goals Can Aid Your Success Principles
Last week on Thankful Thursday I talked about making resolutions and how to not only come up with goals for 2010 but also how to keep the promises you make to yourself. Today I would like to carry on a bit on that theme by letting you know How Setting SMART Goals Can Aid Your Success Principles.
What are SMART GOALS?
I’ve put this challenge to myself this year and I thought I would share with you just how I plan on attaining these goals. I’ve been reading and researching a lot on this subject and I have found some information and a resource that I think will help. First off let me explain just what a SMART Goal is and how using them will assist us in achieving our objectives; S.M.A.R.T. Goal is actually an acronym that stands for:
Specific – a detailed description of goal
Measurable – able to assess progress
Attainable – realistic and achievable
Relevant – relates to you
Timely – the goal must have a beginning and ending date
This made perfect sense to me. In essence I discovered what had been lacking in my previous attempts of keeping my resolutions for the year as well as any other goals I had been setting for myself. Oh sure I was good about writing them down, but following through was something I did not always fulfill.
My resolutions and other objectives in the past have failed mainly because I left out one or more of these practices that would make me accountable for completing what I had started. For instance if I just wrote down a very general goal like “lose weight” then I could justify two parts of the S.M.A.R.T. Goal criteria by saying that it is a ‘relevant’ goal (pertaining to me) and that it is ‘attainable’ (something that is possible) but have I zoned in on the other standards at all? I dare say hardly.
A better written S.M.A.R.T. Goal would be something along the lines of:
On January 11, 2010 I will lose 10lbs. in two weeks.
I will:
• Weigh and measure myself before starting
• follow a strict weight loss plan that includes eating only healthy foods
• drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water daily
• begin an exercise routine consisting of 30 min. a day of cardio workouts such as walking
• choose 3 days a week to add weight training in order to vary the workout routine
• check my weight and measurements at the end of each week
• reach my goal of losing 10lbs in two weeks by January 25, 2010.
Breaking down the goal:
Specific: Lose 10lbs in two weeks
Measurable: weighed and measured before, during and after
Attainable: goal was realistic and could be achieved
Relevant: pertained to my own wants and desires
Timely: a specific timeline of 2 weeks to complete the goal
This is just a rough example of writing a SMART goal but you can get the idea and how this can keep both you and me accountable for our actions.
What is this about Success Principles?
Something else I found on my quest for how I can achieve my desires was a book by Jack Canfield. You may recognize the name as he is the author of the popular series of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I love the way he writes and have many copies of my own from his string of titles of books as well have given many as gifts for family and friends.
The book in particular that I am talking about now is The Success Principles. The subtitle states, “How to Get From Where You Are To Where You Want to Be”. I thought about that statement while researching about this book. While the title of the book sparked my interest, it was the subtitle that has hooked me. That is a compelling thought. I just have to find out more.
So this book is on the top of my list right now and I plan on ordering it today. You can grab your copy too by clicking on the icon to your right. I am grateful for what Mr. Canfield is trying to bring out in me. I have read the reviews of this book and feel confident that this will be another of his awe inspiring works of art.
Now you can see for yourself How Setting SMART Goals Can Aid Your Success Principles. It is a new year with new hopes and dreams that can come true if we will just allow ourselves the chance to get started. What is stopping you from fulfilling your passions? I begin today!
