Goals should be SMART, just like you! - When I Grow Up

Goals should be SMART, just like you! - When I Grow Up Think about a goal that you once had that never materialized. If youd like, feel free to do a Waynes World style Doo-dee-lee-doot, Doo-dee-lee-doot, Doo-dee-lee-doot so you can go back into the past.* Think of what sparked you to create the goal, how detailed you made the goal, and what ultimately went wrong. Did you: * hold yourself accountable? * have supportive people around you (aka kick-the-naysayers-to-the-curb)? * have realistic goals? * place your goal in line with your values and not the values or ideas of others? * prioritize your goal with the other goals/commitments in your life? * replace the word “could” with the word “will”? * set-up reminders for yourself about your goal? * create a vision board? * cloud your focus with outside commitments? * take it one goal at a time? * celebrate the milestones? * consider the obstacles? Look at everything that can stand in your way! A goal is something that needs to be considered, and commited to, and cultivated. In summary: It’s a lot of freaking work! The next time you get a hankering to create a goal, make sure to take stock of all of these goal-eaters that can get in your way. Or, let the goal-eaters go (I think the goal-eaters might be related to the multi-task monster) and make each of your goals S.M.A.R.T.: S: Specific. Not: I want to start exercising again but I will jog in the park for two miles three days a week. M: Measurable. Its easy to measure if you jogged in the park for 2 miles on 3 separate days this week. I want to start exercising again can be measured by Jack. Jack Squat, that is. A: Attainable. A 44-year-old woman with 2 years of government experience in a state with half a million people should not say I want to be Vice President. A 58-year-old man with no government experience should not say I will be nominated as President in the next election. Instead, a more attainable goal would be to say I will win a seat on the City Council in the next election. A SMART goal should be just out of your reach, but close enough where you can still grasp it. R: Realistic. A 44-year-old woman with 2 years of government experience in a state with half a million people should not say I want to be Vice President. Being realistic and having an attainable goal are cut from the same cloth, but SMAT goals doesnt have the same effect as SMART ones. T: Timely. Make sure your goal has a start date, an end date, and a date for the milestones in between. Can I throw in a C at the end for Celebrate? Make sure when youve accomplished your goal you make sure to enjoy it/throw it in everyones face! * Am I showing my age here?