Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Do you keep them? I used to make them but rarely kept them. Resolutions to work out daily, read 12 books, or whatever the trend was at the time. I usually kept them for about 30 days because people told me they would become a habit. Those habits and resolutions never stuck with me.
Now, I like to make SMART goals. In 1981, George T. Doran introduced SMART goals as a tool for creating criteria to help improve one’s chances of succeeding in accomplishing a goal.
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Most goals are too broad or vague. A goal I used to have was “Lose weight this year.” That goal was relevant for my health and a time boundary of a year, but no other part of SMART. It was not specific or measurable. It was possibly attainable and relevant, but no one would know it. A SMART goal is “while eating healthy and walking, I will lose 30 pounds within the year.” It is specific (walking and eating healthy), measurable (30 pounds), attainable (it would mean 3 pounds a month, which is what dieticians say is acceptable), relevant (my health is essential), and time-bound (within the year).
SMART goals can be used to plan for the future. “I will save money” is not specific or measurable. It is attainable and relevant but not time-bound. Instead, say, “I will build an emergency fund of $3,000 within a year by saving $250 monthly.” Building an emergency fund is specific and relevant. $3,000 within a year is measurable and time-bound, while $250 may be attainable. Setting financial SMART goals for one year, three, five, and ten years will help you control your money rather than letting it control you.
The military life encourages SMART goals. When we get PCS orders, I start a goal: “I will clean out one closet a week, giving away clothes that don’t fit and putting toys into containers to be packed.” Is this SMART? It is measurable, one closet a week, relevant to getting ready for the move, and time-bound, one a week. It is not specific because cleaning out may not be precise enough. It may be attainable unless you only have two weeks before your PCS.
SMART goals can be useful in every area of life, whether you’re learning something new or cleaning your house. Putting SMART goals where you can see them daily will help you achieve them. I have them on my laptop, ready to review monthly or daily. It’s critical to put them where I can find them quickly.
When I look at other parts of my life, I still need to set some goals. From establishing a goal to help me use my quilting fabric to creating an objective for writing regular and relevant content for my blog and everything in between, SMART goals can help. What SMART goal could you set now to help you finish the year strong?