Is it mandatory to have goals?
We all have dreams and wishes, but they rarely come true on their own.
To achieve results, we must work on them and set things in motion. Goal setting sparks our productivity and makes our brains work creatively on the solution.
Not only goals help us to stay focused, they trigger our behavior and guide us toward the next step.
Have you ever felt like you’re treading water and not getting anywhere with your plans?
If you want to regain control of your life maybe you need to learn to set up the right system. S.M.A.R.T. goal setting technique might avert you from drifting.
- Specific
Avoid complication and divide your efforts into simple, specific goals. If you don’t know where to start, answer a few questions to get the snowball effect.
What do I want to achieve?
For example, you want to hire three employees, new superstars for your company. Think about what are the actions achieving that involves?
A specific plan might be: I want to increase profit by ten percent and improve collaboration in the human resource department
- Measurable
Tracking progress feels great. Seeing you are getting closer to your end goal is a pat on the back, saying “keep up with the good work”.
It is highly motivating, so make your goals easy to measure.
Let’s say you save a hundred dollars each month using a basic envelope system, opening that envelope frequently and counting dollar bills is how you will assess the progress of your savings.
- Attainable
If your goals depend entirely up to you, it is more likely they will be achievable. Be careful not to set goals that involve others to that extent that you won’t have enough power to make them a reality.
For example, company decisions that involve all stakeholders to agree upon.
- Realistic
You can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket. Likewise, your goals should be reasonable and related to your current situation. Ask yourself if your goal is really achievable considering your knowledge, finances, and the amount of time needed.
In addition, avoid setting goals that are not in accordance with your core values.
- Time-based
If you have truthfully granted yourself enough time, a timeline will help you track improvement, and make you accountable. Not everything can be achieved within one month.
Divide your goals into three categories; short-term, mid-term, and long-term.
Let’s view it from a financial aspect.
One of your short-term goals could be allocating 1 percent of your income to a savings account for the next six months. A long-term goal might include paying off a debt in the next three years or envisioning a substantial growth of your company within the next decade.
Goals are the fuel to our wishes, they breathe air into our hopes and dreams. If you use time and resources productively, you will increase chances to get where you want to be.
Make this goal setting process even S.M.A.R.T.E.R by incorporating Evaluation and Revision into this planning technique.