Setting SMART Goals

Do you know of something you would like to do?  Like lose weight or get healthier or start exercising? To be successful at something you would like to achieve, it is important to make sure your goals are SMART.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound.  

For example, let's say I want to gain strength:

• Specific?  Not at all.  What kind of strength?  To be more specific would be to say I would like to increase my muscular strength by being able to lift heavier weights.  A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.  Also, if you have a big goal, like losing weight, making small specific goals toward that big objective will be motivating and keep you going.
• Measurable?  Now that I have made the goal more specific, it is measurable.  I can decide to measure my goal by the amount of weight I'm able to lift during certain exercises. and I should define one or two to track how much weight I am using each week. Keeping track of progress gives incentives to keep going.  
  
• Attainable?  Yes, because I am in good health and currently do strength training exercises. If you don't have the time, money or talent to reach a certain goal you'll fail and be miserable. I heard of someone who resolved to read 75 books in a year.  She didn't think about how much time that would actually take though and with a full time job, a husband and child, that goal really wasn't realistic for her.  That doesn't mean that you can't try for something that might sound impossible and make it happen by planning smartly and going for it!  
  
• Relevant?  Yes.  This goal is something that is important to me and can help me in my career and life.  Goals are more likely to be reached if they are important to you.  
• Time Bound?  It can be.  Goals need to have a time limit or date to be reached in order to keep you motivated and to establish a sense of urgency to prevent life from getting in the way. Having a deadline makes it more likely it will happen. 

SMART goals bring structure and trackability to help you achieve your objectives. Instead of vague resolutions, SMART goal setting creates a set path towards your objective.  Every goal or objective can be made SMART and then, as such, will be closer to reality.