How do you set goals for yourself?
How to set SMART goals:
A SMART goal is a goal you set that is:
1. S (specific)
2. M (measurable)
3. A (attainable)
4. R (realistic)
5. T (time-bound)
Let's look at each of these.
1. Specific means to have a clear idea of what it is that you want.
Instead of: "I want to have good grades."
Say: "I want to make all As and Bs this quarter."
If you say something like, "I want to pass all my classes," then it is unclear. Do you want to pass with all Ds? All Cs? Some Ds? Some Cs?
Being specific will help set a clear picture in your head of what you want. Focus only on what you want, not what you don't want.
Instead of: "I don't want to be sick."
Say: "I want to be healthy."
2. Measurable means measuring your success. Make sure you have measurable goals. Think of this as breaking your larger overall goal into smaller goals.
For instance, if you would like to be able to achieve a promotion in your job, then you might set a smaller goal of enrolling in the class you need to take to get that promotion. If you want to be rich:
First, define what rich means to you. Does it also mean abundant? Is it only money? Is it friends? Is it social life? What does "rich" mean to you?
Second, instead of saying "I want a to have a million dollars," say "I want to make $5,000 a year more than I do now by working at my online business." Once you achieve making the extra $5,000 per year, work on making $10,000 per year.
3. Attainable means you will be able to achieve your goal in the timeline you've set. For instance, if I wanted to be able to do a skateboarding trick in the next two weeks, I first need to be sure that I know how to ride a skateboard. However, to make my goal attainable I could adjust my goal to: I want to be able to balance and ride on a skateboard in the next two weeks. Then I can move on to my next goal of performing a trick.
**Be sure that you have some control over these smaller goals. If your smaller goal is to get a promotion at work, you can take steps to make yourself marketable; but you do not have the ultimate say in the selection process of the promotion.
4. Relevant means KNOWING WHY. Know why you are doing what you are doing. How does doing your action move you closer to your ultimate goal? For instance, in the example about making $5,000 extra dollars a year, why do I want to that? Why do I want to be "rich?" (I use quotation marks here because as discussed above, rich is a subjective term.) Is it to have more freedom? To help others? To have the ability to travel?
Your WHY is very important in achieving your goals. For instance, I used to have the goal of wanting more money coming in so I didn't have to work. I thought I knew my WHY. It was so I could spend more time with my family; serve others by coaching and doing energy work; attend my son's school parties or assemblies; spend more time meditating and working on myself (self-love); and so could spend more time with my husband.
Did anyone catch the major theme there? My WHY was to free up TIME! It had nothing to do with not working. I wanted money to come in more abundantly because I wanted more time to do the things I feel are important to me.
5. Time-bound means that you are putting a limit on when your goal needs to be accomplished. Today? Two weeks? A year?
If you give yourself unlimited time to accomplish your goal, you will most likely forget about it or drop it. Put a limit on when you need to complete your goal.
Those are the five steps to set up your SMART goal. Remember these are guidelines. If you need to modify your goal, you can! If you need to adjust your timeline, you can! This is for you!
LIVE WEIRD, FRIENDS!