We all have goals.  Things that we want to achieve, things we want to do.  But how many times have you actually planned and assessed your goal to see how attainable and viable it really is?  How many times have you achieved a goal only to realise it wasn’t what you really wanted?

I’m going to guess that there are times when your goals either have not come to fruition, or they’ve not fulfilled your hopes.  That’s okay, because by the end of this article you’ll be able to make sure your future goals are S.M.A.R.T!

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable / Attainable

R – Realistic & Rewarding

T – Tangible / Timescale

It’s all well and good having a fancy acronym for your goals, but unless you put this into practice in a way that works for you, it won’t work for you!  So… let’s make it work… FOR YOU!  Here goes:

1. What do I want?
   State what you want, specifically and in positive terms.  What do you want? Where is it? When do you want it?  Make sure your statement starts with “I want…”.  If your statement is “I don’t want…” or “I want to stop…”, then re-word it to a strictly positive statement, eg, “I want to be a non-smoker” instead of “I want to stop smoking”, and specific, eg, “I want to lose 2 stone”, rather than “I want to lose weight”.
2. Is it achievable?
   Is it technically possible for someone to achieve this outcome? Has someone else already achieved it?  If they have, then in theory it can be done by you, too. If nobody has achieved it yet, is it still possible?
3. How will I know when I have achieved it?
   Describe in terms of the senses how you will know you have achieved your goal.  Imagine that you have achieved it already and be aware of your five main senses: What can you see?  What can you hear?  What can you feel?  What can you taste?  What can you smell?
4. Is it within my control?
   Look back from the position of achieving your goal, to now.  Notice all the key steps that got you from where you are today, to the point where you have achieved your goal.  Make a note of all the steps and actions that had to take place for you to get there.  Was everything achievable?  Was everything within your control?  If not, how probable is it that the things out of your control can still be achieved.  For instance, hiring someone to perform a task that you cannot do alone is perfectly viable, however obtaining a loan from the bank may or may not be granted.
5. Are the costs and consequences acceptable?
   What are the implications of your goal on others? On the environment? On you?  Are the implications worth the rewards?
6. Do I have all the resources I need to achieve it?
   Resources include money, time, property, knowledge confidence, contacts, inventory, people, skills. Do you have them?  I not, can you obtain them?
7. If I could have it now, would I take it?
   Step forward into the time when you have achieved your goal.  Take into account everything that you have learned about your goal – the rewards, the consequences, the effort needed to make it happen, the length of time it will take.  With all of this in mind, is your goal REALLY worth it?  Does it motivate and inspire you enough to make it happen.  Is it really worth it?  Is it what you really want?  How will it make you feel knowing what you have experienced to get to this point?

Having reached this point, you should now know whether your goal is truly worthwhile.  You should know whether your goal will inspire you, and most importantly anything that you might need to alter to make it properly align with your morals, principles, dreams, aspirations, and desire.

If you need to make any changes, then make them now in your mind, and step through the goal setting processing again until you’re convinced that your goal is exactly what you truly desire.

As always, if you need help with this process or with taking your goal forwards from here, I’m available to work with you.

What’re you waiting for… go and set some inspiring goals!