Are you setting goals, or stuck in procrastination mode because you have set goals in the past only to not reach as many of them as you would have liked to in the past?

I get it…I’ve had the same experience myself when setting goals.

Here are some tips to help you actually accomplish your goals whether or not you have in the past.

Successful goal-setters who actually achieve their goals,  use the SMART goal-setting process as a guide to set goals that could be converted into an executable plan.

SMART is an acronym, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound, and this helps you by keeping things realistic and objective when setting your goals.

An Introduction to SMART Goal Setting

Your goals need to be Specific.

Specific goals eliminate confusion, clutter, and prevent you from being sidetracked.  If the goal is not specific, you won’t be able to measure it.

M stands for creating goals that are measurable.

Putting concrete figures in your goals will help you track progress.  How will you know if you have achieved the goal?  This is what measurable means.

Letter A in the smart goal setting stands for attainable.

While there is nothing wrong with dreaming big,  your goals need to be attainable. A goal that isn’t attainable will frustrate you and you may find that you lose your motivation and heart trying to achieve something that is out of your reach.

If your goals set are too high,  you may end up losing hope and giving up. However, if your goals are challenging but still attainable, then chances are you will be able to power through to reach it.

Relevancy ensures that your goals are grounded on the existing state of your industry, and the core values of your company.

If your customers, investors, or employees don’t care about the things you’re trying to make happen, then nothing is really going to happen.

T stands for time frame when setting your SMART goals

Your goals need a deadline otherwise; it’s just an idea.

Setting a time frame keeps things in perspective; it also gives you the urgency to act. And it provides a way for you to measure progress along the way.

Is this SMART goal setting enough?

I know many organizations that swear by SMART goal setting, yet fail to accomplish the things they’ve set to do. There’s a missing link here,  your goal setting shouldn’t stop at time-specific.

SMARTER Goal Setting

Your goals need to be EVALUATED, at regular intervals. It’s not enough that you measure progress, because what if you’re not making enough progress on the path you’re taking? What if there’s another way to do things?

This is where evaluation comes in.

Your goals should be evaluated to measure the progress, check if the actions you are taking are in line with your goals, and most importantly, find out if your goal is still worth pursuing or if a change of path is in order.

Smart goal setting doesn’t end at the first evaluation though; you have to RE-EVALUATE the goals on a regular basis. 

You may find that your goals change from time to time due to many external factors, such as industry and, demand changes, and economic conditions, organizational need changes, and more. 

To be successful you should have a constant cycle of evaluation and re-evaluation of goals to see if you are indeed moving forward and if the set goals are still applicable to its state today.

This doesn’t mean you simply abandon goals when you aren’t on track to achieving them. 

It means that assessing and reassessing along the way, based on new information and changes you couldn’t have predicted when you set the goal.

Setting Your Goals May Seem Easy, But Many Times it’s Not…

That’s why we created the Guide to Creating Goals and Milestones.  We not only give you information on goal setting but include a template for you to use during your goal-setting process.