Raise your hand if you’ve ever made a bunch of lofty goals on January first, only to give up on all of them on January second? *raises hand*
It’s not you. It’s the goals!
Turns out, there’s a better way to frame your goals that will make you more likely to achieve them. You just have to think SMART.
A convenient acronym
No, we’re not being smart here! The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Setting goals with these parameters in place lets you clarify your ideas, focus your efforts and use your time productively. This dramatically increases your chances of success.
Let’s break it down:
S is for Specific
Consider the goal ‘I’ll eat better this year’. This tells you pretty much nothing.
When setting goals, be as specific as possible. Consider the what, where, who, when and how of your goal.
For example, you could make this SMART goal around eating better: ‘I’ll eat one cup of veg at every meal for two weeks, because vegetables fuel my body and make me feel great’.
M is for Measurable
Each goal should include a measurable outcome, be it a cup of veggies, 20 minutes of walking, or 5 consecutive nights of no screen time between 7pm and 7am.
That way, you’ll be able to track your progress (a great motivator!) and know exactly when you’ve achieved it.
A is for Achievable
You need to be realistic about what you can achieve, otherwise you’re just setting yourself up for failure. You should also be realistic about constraints other than motivation, like financial or time commitments.
And remember, it’s okay (even recommended) to start small!
If you’ve never run before, don’t set a goal to go running for an hour every day for 6 months. Start with 5 or 10 minutes for a week. Then build it up to 15 minutes for another week, 20 for another and so on.
Smaller, achievable goals you can tick of quickly will keep you motivated to keep going
R is for Relevant
Here’s where you really drill down into your why. Why this goal? Why now?
Do you want to exercise more because it makes you feel great and helps you sleep better? Do you want to save more money so you can go on a big holiday with your family at the end of the year?
Nailing your why will give you a reason to remember when the going gets tough, making it much less likely you’ll stray from the path.
T is for Time-bound
SMART goals have a deadline built into them, so you stay on track for success. Time-bound goals are particularly important for goals that involve more than one person, so the whole team stays on the same page.
Ask yourself: When will I achieve this by? What will it involve right now, at the halfway point, and in the run up to the finish line?
Have a crack at setting yourself some SMART goals as we head into the new year. As you tick them off, you’ll realise how great they are as steppingstones to an overall happier, healthier, more successful life.