Goal Setting Part 3
“People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine.” – Brian Tracy
Success-Minded People are familiar with setting and achieving goals. This is how we move forward from year to year, day to day. Former German Chancellor Helmet Schmidt said “Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps.” The achievement of any goal takes time, persistence, and action. Those who stand still and wait never see goals achieve.
SMART
The simplest way I know to remember how to pursue goals is what is called the SMART plan. By following these easy steps you can move forward toward your goal quickly and efficiently.
Specific: What exactly do you want? Example: “I want to lose weight.” Better to say “I want to lose 50 pounds by August.” The more specific you can be, the better the chance you will see it accomplished. Write down the goal in detail and read it often. “Your mind, while blessed with permanent memory, is cursed with lousy recall. Written goals provide clarity. By documenting your dreams you must think about the process of achieving them.” – Gary Ryan Blair
Measurable: Know what you need to do each month or each week to achieve your goal. If the goal is to lose 50 pounds by August and you are starting in January, you will need to lose around six pounds a month. This gives you a way to keep on track with your progress. “Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so.” – Galileo
Attainable: Be sure you can achieve the goal in the time frame you have set. Do not set yourself up for failure. This does not mean it is easy. A goal should always push us to the limit, but not be unreasonable. Do not set a goal to get a PhD in a year when you have not received any degree yet. “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi
Realistic: Goals need to be big and difficult. If you can easily achieve it, the goal is too small. However, if the goal is unrealistic you will become discouraged. Example: Do not set a goal to make $5 million in a year (unless you already have $4million). Break it down to more realistic numbers and add on till you reach the $5 million. “I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.” – Walt Disney
Timely: Every goal should be in a time frame. Set a due date to achieve the goal. A due date enables you to gauge progress and gives you a finishing point for the goal. “A goal without a date is just a dream.” – Milton H. Erickson
Let me end this by saying that the key to all achievement is action. Take some kind of action within 24 hours of setting any goal. Be sure that you are doing something to move toward the achievement of your goal every day. Never rest, never put off, never make excuses and never, never give up. “A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.” – Bo Bennett
© 2011 John Patrick Hickey
