What if you woke up tomorrow with the ability to make new choices, meet your goals, fulfill your desires and live the life of your dreams?
I’ve found that using Smart goal setting is an excellent way of shifting from being past-driven to being future-focused. Smart goal setting keeps me on track.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely goal attainment.
Smart goal setting is specific.
When you get specific and crystal clear on exactly the “who, what, when, where and why”, your chances of attaining you goal increases by leaps and bounds. Writing a goal like, “lose weight” is much too general.
A specific goal would be, “Make an appointment with a dietician on Monday at 1:00PM to plan my new dietary lifestyle, meet with my trainer on Wednesday to discuss my work out regimen, and buy running shoes and work out clothes to keep me inspired,” is decidedly more specific.
Smart goal setting is measurable.
Ask yourself, “How much, how many and how will I know when it is accomplished?” You need to be able to measure your progress. Set a target date and mark the calendar. Make a sign and tape it to your computer and look at it everyday.
When you hit your target, feel the exhilaration of your accomplishment. It will spur you on to reach your next smart goal.
Smart goal setting is attainable.
When you write down goals that are meaningful to you, you’ll figure out ways of making them come true. When you clarify and define your smart goals, previously overlooked opportunities arise and become more apparent. This awareness brings you closer to achieving your goals.
You begin to see the new attitudes, skills and finances required to reach your smart goals. As you grow and expand, goals that may have seemed elusive or far away, move closer and become attainable.
Smart goal setting is realistic.
For a goals to be realistic, you must truly believe in your heart of hearts that it can be achieved. Do you love your goal? Does it inspire you? Some of the loftiest goals ever accomplished actually were realized simply because they were a labor of love.
Ask yourself if you are passionate about your goal and if you are willing and able to accomplish it. If you accomplished this kind of goal in the past, it is more likely that you will accomplish it in the future.
Smart goal setting is timely.
If you are a marathon runner and there isn’t a finish line, how do you know when to stop running? A smart goal should have a time frame.
Without a finish line, there’s no definitive sense that you have attained your goal.
Setting a time frame keeps the sub-conscious mind aware of your goal. State clearly, in written form, “I will lose 5 pounds by April 15, 2011.” Use your Google calendar reminder tools to send you a daily email to keep you on track.
Smart goal setting is tangible.
T can also stand for Tangible. Use creative visualization and see your goal already accomplished in your mind’s eye. Olympic athletics do this on a regular basis.
When you bring in all of your senses like touch, sight, smell, hearing and taste to your visualizations, you goals come alive.
