The SMART Goals
A journey without destination appears meaningless. One’s zest to conquer in life is only innate. So to keep us going on in life, goals are necessary. Everybody’s goals or dreams are different and so are their strategies to meet them. We often overlook the technicalities involved in firstly, being specific on what do we actually want to attain in our lives. Secondly, we tend to take into account unrealistic measures as to our efforts needed to reach our destination. This is why we often feel unfulfilled despite working so hard for our goals day and night. In this blog we will discuss The SMART goals theory developed by George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham. According to them, goals are required to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Only if all these five criteria are met, your goals are smart and possible.
The S.M.A.R.T Goals Theory:
We are going to walk you through each and every element of The SMART goals theory in detail. Each element stands highly significant whilst drafting, reevaluating and recalculating your goals.
- Specific :
You must be clear and specific about your goal. To avoid uncertainty, this element bears great importance. In the phase of creating your goal, ask yourself these five W questions:
What: What is it that I want to achieve?
Which: Which resources or limits are to be taken into account?
Why: Why is this goal important to me?
Who: Who are the parties involved?
Where: Where is it located?
Example: If you are a Senior Manager at your company and you desire to become a Director, your goal should state “I want to be a Director of my company by enhancing my skills and expertise in order to advance in my career”.
2. Measurable:
Goals must be traceable. Performances against goals should be measured frequently and analyzed for any shortcomings. If performance is not as per planned, measures should be taken to boost up your performance. This periodic check allows you to be constantly conscious of your momentum. It keeps you focused and motivated on your task and helps you meet deadlines properly. When measuring your goal ask yourself these questions: How much? How many?
Example: Taking the aforementioned example ahead, to reach the designation of a Director you might need training and expertise of a further five to ten years.
3. Attainable:
Your goal to dine at Mars can be a little unrealistic so be mindful to keep it as realistic and achievable as possible. To be successful you must push your limits but if you are running after an impossible, it is only going to exhaust you. For this purpose, question yourself these:
How am I going to achieve my goals?
Is my goal realistic?
Example: For your desire to be a Director, do you have all the relevant qualifications? Will you be able to complete your training keeping the time and money required for it in mind?
4. Relevant:
Relevance of your goal means it should align with the mission of your life. It should be able to help you move further in the direction of your long term objectives. As irrelevant plans tend you take you off your true path, drain your energy and overall contribute none to growth. Measure the relevance of your goal through a “Yes” to all the following questions:
Is this goal worthwhile?
Does this goal align with my values?
Is this the right time?
Does it follow my other efforts?
Is this plan really for me?
Example: Do you find being a Director fulfilling? Does this align with your values? Is it worth all your time and effort?
5. Timely:
A time bound goal is an effective one to draw your focus to the target date or deadline. A goal without a set deadline can be misleading, confusing and simply purposeless. So this element of the theory guides you to keep prioritizing your long term goals over day today tasks. To access the time factor associated with your plans, answer these questions:
When will I met the deadline?
What can I do for the upcoming two weeks?
What can I do for the upcoming two months?
What tasks should I do today?
Example: The training and qualifications further needed to acquire the post of a Director will take a lot of your time. How long will it take to complete them? Breaking down the entire journey into smaller goals will rather be more helpful. But make sure to set deadlines against your smaller goals too.
Conclusion:
The difference between a successful plan and an unsuccessful one lies in the manner in which it is incorporated and followed up. The SMART Goals theory is a powerful tool to analyze the triumph of your goals. It has five components namely specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely. It helps you manage the growth and achievement of your goals.