Setting SMARTER goals

OK, so you know what you want and you’re excited about it!  You’re full of enthusiasm for your fabulous new idea!  Brilliant!

The idea of writing down your goals, let alone writing them down in a certain way, doesn’t always seem quite so exciting!  When you are all fired up and you know what you want, it can seem like a bit of a waste of time - after all, you’re really determined!

It is crucial to write down your goals if you want to make them happen.  You are making a commitment to achieving something within a certain timescale.  This will help you to keep focused if the going gets tough - you can see clearly what you want, written in your own fair hand, in front of you!  It will serve as a reminder as to why this goal is important to you when other things are taking priority over your time.  You can see the end date, when you will have achieved it and can enjoy the satisfaction of getting what you want.  Writing down your goals is the first big step towards making them happen!

So how should you record your goal?  A key test is how will you know when you have achieved it?  For example - “I want to be slim” or “I want to be fit” or “I want to be wealthy” are all good things to strive for, but how will you know that you are slim enough, fit enough or wealthy enough?

Make sure your goals are SMARTER:

Many people are familiar with SMART goals - ensuring that what they are aiming for has a precise target on a specific date that can reasonably be expected to reach with a bit of effort!  But not all goals are exciting - and this is why some people fall by the wayside - they just don’t have the enthusiasm to keep going because the target doesn’t excite or maybe even interest them!

Risky goals are a bit more controversial but this is also necessary.  You will need to push outside your comfort zone in order to reach your true potential. The exhilaration that comes from achieving a risky goal is one of the most fabulous feelings there is!  If you never push yourself beyond what you already know, how will you ever know what else is out there?

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions

Oliver Wendell Holmes