 |
In this article, I will seek to make it clear as to why is it important to set realistic goals for your life, business, or anything else.
Setting SMART goals make your plan very clear to you. They make things easier to follow.
Here is what SMART means:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Goals are like a compass for the seafarer. They are like a guide for the tourist, and a map for the traveler.
To accomplish anything significant in life, goals are absolutely essential.
Goals help you to plan in a systematic way. Goals help you to achieve your dreams and aspirations in a step-by-step manner.
Having learned the importance of having goals in life, we will now take a look at how to set goals properly.
Using the acronym SMART, we will learn how to set realistic goals.
When the goals are very specific, it leaves no room for any doubt about the destination.
Specific goals make things clear in your mind as to what you are aiming for.
Specific goals help you and others to understand what exactly you want to accomplish.
It helps to know who is involved in the project.
Time-bound
Goals are like a compass for the seafarer. They are like a guide for the tourist, and a map for the traveler.
To accomplish anything significant in life, goals are absolutely essential.
Goals help you to plan in a systematic way. Goals help you to achieve your dreams and aspirations in a step-by-step manner.
Having learned the importance of having goals in life, we will now take a look at how to set goals properly.
Using the acronym SMART, we will learn how to set realistic goals.
Specific
Goals should always be specific. If they are general, imprecise, and too broad, it will be difficult to know what exactly you want to achieve.When the goals are very specific, it leaves no room for any doubt about the destination.
Specific goals make things clear in your mind as to what you are aiming for.
Specific goals help you and others to understand what exactly you want to accomplish.
It helps to know who is involved in the project.
Measurable
It is very important to have measurable goals. Measurable goals help you to track your progress.
They allow you to stay focused and know when you have digressed from your path.
Measurable goals motivate you to keep moving forward as you see your progress.
Measurable goals should have components like how much, how many, etc.
It is important to state what metrics you are going to use to measure the accomplishment of goals.
Having measurable goals make them more tangible rather than a pie in the sky.
It makes the goals more clear and down to earth. Measurable goals are the backbone of any goal-setting plan.
They allow you to stay focused and know when you have digressed from your path.
Measurable goals motivate you to keep moving forward as you see your progress.
Measurable goals should have components like how much, how many, etc.
It is important to state what metrics you are going to use to measure the accomplishment of goals.
Having measurable goals make them more tangible rather than a pie in the sky.
It makes the goals more clear and down to earth. Measurable goals are the backbone of any goal-setting plan.
Attainable
Goals should be achievable or they will be a source of frustration and overwhelm.
Smart goals are not very easy but they are not impossible to achieve either.
They are reasonably hard but always achievable.
These goals will stretch you but will always remain in the realm of possibilities.
Your capabilities, skills, and talents will develop as you pursue these goals. They will challenge you and motivate you to give your best shot.
Setting achievable goals also act as a cheerleader because it will spur your confidence to take on new goals.
Another aspect of achievable goals is that others can see your progress too and be inspired.
Smart goals are not very easy but they are not impossible to achieve either.
They are reasonably hard but always achievable.
These goals will stretch you but will always remain in the realm of possibilities.
Your capabilities, skills, and talents will develop as you pursue these goals. They will challenge you and motivate you to give your best shot.
Setting achievable goals also act as a cheerleader because it will spur your confidence to take on new goals.
Another aspect of achievable goals is that others can see your progress too and be inspired.
Relevant
Smart goals are relevant to your overall goals and purpose in life. They are a part of the whole and perfectly fit into the puzzle.
Goals should be set with a clear objective in mind. There have to be solid benefits attached to the goals.
They should contribute to your life purpose and not clash with other goals.
They should be socially relevant too. It should make sense in the world that we are in today.
Smart goals should help you in your life and career and so they should be aligned with those career goals as well.
Setting up relevant goals clarifies to you why it is important to you.
Relevant goals align with other goals in your life and complement them.
Goals should be set with a clear objective in mind. There have to be solid benefits attached to the goals.
They should contribute to your life purpose and not clash with other goals.
They should be socially relevant too. It should make sense in the world that we are in today.
Smart goals should help you in your life and career and so they should be aligned with those career goals as well.
Setting up relevant goals clarifies to you why it is important to you.
Relevant goals align with other goals in your life and complement them.
Time-Bound
Smart goals are not there forever. They have a time limit within which they have to be completed.
This is necessary to ensure that the goals don’t get dragged for all eternity.
Setting up a time frame to accomplish goals helps you to know when it has to be finished.
It defines the time needed to finish. It keeps you on your toes as the time draws near to complete the goals.
It helps you to adjust your speed of accomplishment - whether it is to speed up or slow down.
Time-bound goals assist you not only to finish on time but to start new goals as well.
So it is very clear that having a time-bound goal is absolutely vital.
This is necessary to ensure that the goals don’t get dragged for all eternity.
Setting up a time frame to accomplish goals helps you to know when it has to be finished.
It defines the time needed to finish. It keeps you on your toes as the time draws near to complete the goals.
It helps you to adjust your speed of accomplishment - whether it is to speed up or slow down.
Time-bound goals assist you not only to finish on time but to start new goals as well.
So it is very clear that having a time-bound goal is absolutely vital.
Conclusion
While setting smart goals, ask yourself and your team a lot of questions. Do a lot of brainstorming and then come up with your smart goals.
The discussions will help you to refine and finetune your goals until they are smart indeed.
What are good examples of SMART goals?
- I will spend 2 hours in the study every day
- I will run on the treadmill daily
- I will run on the treadmill daily for 3 months
- I will run on the treadmill daily for 15 minutes
- I will run on the treadmill daily to develop my calf muscles for the marathon
- I will run on the treadmill daily for 15 minutes for the next 3 months
What are some SMART goals for students?
- I will reduce my time on the mobile phone to 30 minutes
daily
- I will spend 2 hours in the study every day
- I will search for an internship
- I will prepare my monthly budget today
- I will watch a Ted talk on time management
- I will spend 30 minutes daily reading a motivational book
Finally, the answer to the question "Why is it important to set realistic goals?" is that realistic goals will help you to get there faster and systematically.
You will not feel overwhelmed as you can measure your progress in a tangible manner.
Realistic, smart goals will make it easy for you to accomplish your goals whether it is to study more effectively, lose weight drastically, achieve marketing goals, or have better relationships.
Realistic, smart goals will make it easy for you to accomplish your goals whether it is to study more effectively, lose weight drastically, achieve marketing goals, or have better relationships.
I believe that you will set realistic goals for your life for the New Year and achieve great things. I believe in you and you must believe in yourself too. You can do this.
Post a Comment