Are Your Goals SMART?
Last week I asked you three questions:
What is your summer health goal?
How important is that goal to you?
How confident are you about achieving that goal?
Each question is important in its own right, but if you want to make a meaningful change in your life, all three have to be asked and answered.
The answer to the first question should lead you to something specific. Ideally, that specific something is also measurable and time-constrained. This helps you stay focused, evaluate your progress, and stay motivated.
The second question also helps to motivate you. If you are rating your goal’s importance on a scale of ”0-10”, you’ll need to score at least a “9”. With a score that high, you will care if you’re successful. More importantly, it means the goal is relevant to you and you’ll be willing to prioritize it in your life.
The final question ensures that your goal is attainable. If you were scoring this one too, it should also be at least a “9”. Setting attainable goals does not mean that you shouldn’t dream big, just that those big dreams should be broken up into smaller pieces. That way they become actionable rather than the thing you daydream about.
These three questions can help you create specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-constrained goals, otherwise known as SMART goals.
While there are many different frameworks for goal setting, SMART is one I have found particularly useful. I’ve personally made a lot of changes using this system and helped many others do the same.
This week, take some time and set your goal for the summer. If you have already set one, review it to see if you’re meeting the SMART criteria. Don’t worry about being perfect, just do your best!
Once you’re done, contact me with your goal. I will provide you with some feedback and suggestions for the next steps to keep your momentum going.
Don’t wait on this! Spend the 5 minutes now to avoid procrastinating. All you have to do is take the first step and then we’ll work together on the rest.
Good luck and I can’t wait to hear what you come up with!