Creating S.M.A.R.T Goals by C.J. Corbin

They say that Rome wasn’t built in a day – well, a book wasn’t written in a day either. But how do you accomplish such a monumental task? One word at a time … one sentence … one paragraph … one chapter.On April first, we are looking at our April Challenge differently. We are taking it up a notch. We are getting serious about setting goals and seeing them through.What is the difference between dreams (wishful thinking) and goals? Dreams are visions of what we want. Goals are our road map to making it happen – they take us from one point to the next.A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline. For something to be a goal:• It has to be important to you, personally• Has to be within your power and actions to make it happen• Must have a reasonable chance of achieving• Must be clear to you and have a specific plan of actionDuring our challenge, we will have short and long-term goals. A goal is an outcome that will make a difference as a result of achieving it. It can’t be too ambitious to be out of reach, but also not so simple that it does not challenge. A goal has to be realistic with a stretch, requiring effort and focus on achieving it. That’s why goals need timeframes and measurable action steps along the way so that we can keep track of progress and adjust as necessary.Creating S.M.A.R.T GoalsSPECIFIC: A specific goal is much more likely to be accomplished than a general goal.MEASURABLE: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward each goal you set.ACHIEVABLE: You can attain almost any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps.REALISTIC: To be real, a goal must represent an objective you are willing and able to work toward.TIME-BOUND: A goal should be grounded within a time frame. There is no sense of urgency with no time frame tied to it.Extra Ideas• Write your goals on paper• Tell your goals to others. They may be able to help or keep you on task.• Have a positive attitude• Celebrate your successes!• If you don’t reach a goal, don’t think of it as a failure• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes• Identify areas that need improvement• Use your imagination … visualize!DREAM BIG!![gravityform id="25" title="true" description="true"]