Goals can be overwhelming, especially if they have no clear focus, are unrealistic or are too far in the distance of achieving. It's helpful when we have SHORT-TERM goals, LONG TERM goals and LIFETIME goals. When creating, pursuing and meeting goals successfully, they should be S.M.A.R.T.
S - Specific M - Measurable A - Attainable R - Realistic T - Timely
SHORT TERM GOAL: A short-term goal is something you want to accomplish in the near future. 'Near' usually means today, this week, next month or within the next year. Write down 2 goals you want to accomplish by midnight, 2 goals to accomplish in a week, 2 in a month and 2 in a year. Mark through and celebrate after you complete each one.
SHORT TERM GOALS will help you:
BOOST Confidence STAY on Track KEEP Your Motivation High ENJOY Quick Results
LONG TERM GOAL: A long-term goal is something you want to accomplish in the future. 'Long' usually means between 1-5 years and requires time and planning. Take a moment to REALLY think about what you want to accomplish at the end of 5 years. Write it down along with action steps you'll need to take to get you there
LONG TERM GOALS will help you:
CLARIFY What You Really Want. BE MOTIVATED to Take Action. OVERCOME any Resistance or Obstacles. SEE and CELEBRATE Your Progress.
LIFETIME GOALS: Lifetime goals are ones that are ongoing. The goals gives you the overall perspective that shapes your decision making. Lifetime goals are set in life categories such as Career, Family, Financial, Education and even Attitude. Take some time to think about the all aspects of your life. Write down goals in each of these categories and steadily work towards achieving them.
Remember, don't get frustrated in the process. Some goals in this category may be never ending. For example in my Education Category, my goal is to be a life long learner, always seeking knowledge to heighten my spiritual awareness.
Now let's break down S.M.A.R.T.
S - Specific
When we're generally speaking about something, that could produce dozens of DIFFERENT perspectives. However, when we are specific we have a clearer vision and much better focus of the point.
When setting specific goals, you and I must answer the six “W” questions:
*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Intentional purpose/benefits of accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: General goal: “Write a book” Specific goal: “I will join a virtual book writing club and develop a habit of writing at least 500 words daily to complete my manuscript by December 31, 2016.”
General goals have no structure and and it's highly likely that you will not reach your goal. However, being SPECIFIC holds you accountable and gives you a clear, directional plan of action.
M - Measurable
Measurable means that you set criteria that will measure your progress. Measuring is a way of keeping you on track, making sure you reach your target dates. Trust me, you'll get excited and motivated to keep going when you start seeing the benefit of completing each goal.
To ensure that your goal is measurable, ask questions such like:
How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?
Example: “To market my book, for one week, I am going to advertise on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), post 50 flyers in all local libraries and book stores, and make 10 phone calls to friends and book club members to help publicize the my book launch.”
A - Attainable
An attainable goal is one that you set when you plan your action steps wisely and complete these steps in a reasonable amount of time. Pace yourself. If you don't feel you can write a book in 7 days, don't give yourself that action step. If you feel 90 days is MORE DOABLE, set your action step to that needle. Sometimes when we write goals down and they seem BIG or unreachable, we tend to shrink back or get anxious about them. My response to that is DO IT ANYWAY, but do it S.M.A.R.T.
When you identify and write down these "BIG" goals, you should also see yourself as WORTHY of obtaining these goals, then develop the attitude, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them.
encourage you to NOT stop dreaming big. When you start knocking out those action steps, that goal will no longer seem far away, however it will become closer and closer within your reach.
Celebrate!
R - Realistic
A realistic goal must represent actionable steps which you are both willing and able to work. Only YOU can decide what's realistic for you. However, in order to maintain momentum, be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.
T - Timely
A goal should be grounded within a time frame. If there is no time frame connected, then the goal doesn't seem as urgent. If you want to book 3 speaking engagements, "Someday" won't work. You must attach a time frame. Instead of "someday", you may say by August 31st, then you do what I've shared many times before: 1) Set Your Intention 2) Affirm it to yourself by saying it out loud 3) Release it into womb of creation, the field of all possibilities. Now that you've set the intention in motion. You must do the work.
T can also stand for Tangible – A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing.
SMART Goals help you to process and see things with clarity, thus serving as a motivator for you to take action. Being smart about setting goals can help you get clear about life. Take some time think to think about and write goals that you expand and grow in your greatness. I believe in you. You got this!
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Sincerely,
