Setting goals are important for guiding you towards attaining your target. Whether it is a financial goal for your business or an individual goal, you need to include every step necessary to achieve that goal.
Without goals, it is difficult to achieve your targets. To help you achieve your goals, you need to use a clear framework called SMART goals.
Unlike the traditional way of visualizing and setting goals, SMART goals help you quantify the specific steps you need to achieve your goals. Using SMART goal templates boost your chances of attaining success.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about SMART goals including free SMART goal templates.
SMART is the short form of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. It was first developed in 1981 by George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham in an article called “There’s a SMART Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.”
The concept was invented to create an easy, smarter, and more focused way to set and accomplish goals. A SMART goal includes all the factors necessary to carry out and achieve a certain aim or objective. They are important elements of goal setting.
According to the dictionary, a goal is something you like to achieve. It is an aim, a target that gives purpose and makes one feel fulfilled. Using the SMART goals concept helps to achieve both personal and professional goals. It boosts your performance, keeps you focused, motivates you, gives you proper execution of your plan, and provides a clear path to your progress.
SMART goals ask questions like: What goal do you want to achieve? How do you plan to go about it? What is your reason for setting this goal? Is it achievable? Do you have what it takes to achieve them? What do you do if you do not have the resources? When do you plan on accomplishing the goals? Answering these questions while setting your goals helps to paint a clear and direct picture.
Having SMART goals show if your goals are attainable. It helps you know what other steps to take if they are not attainable. The SMART goal framework gives you a timeframe that tracks your goals and progress.
Specific goals mean being direct and straight to the point when setting your goals. Making goals comes with making specific decisions.
They should be clear and easy to understand. A specific goal breeds effectiveness.
Consider these things before setting goals:
You are an artist yearning to get a promotion as the head artist of your organization. Your specific goal should be “I want to learn new skills to upgrade myself. This is important to become Head Artist in my organization. I will be in a position to move my organization forward, make it more popular and successful'.
After being specific, you need to measure your goals. Measurements show how much you have done, how much you need to reach a finishing point, and how much progress and relapse you are making.
Your goal must have a specific amount, number, or quantity.
To learn these skills, I will need a space of 6 months and an extra month to perfect the skills. In a year, I will become the Head Artist.
While setting goals, you must be certain these goals are real and accomplishable. It helps to know your limits and not outdo yourself by setting goals beyond your reach.
You need to know the odds, the possibility, the resources, the process, and the final gain of the goals you are about to set. For example, you can not venture into teaching mathematics when you hate mathematics.
One thing to put in mind before setting goals is to make sure the goals are realistic. Your goal must be achievable and not a fantasy.
Ask yourself if you have what it takes to learn these new skills and become an expert in them. Do you have the resources, the time, and the qualifications?
Relevance means being significant. Ensure your goals are necessary and matter to your progress.
Your goals corroborate with your life plans. They must add to your long-term achievements and not a temporary, no gain thing.
Goals should not be set for the fun of it. Things to consider are:
You need to know if achieving the goal of learning new skills and training is what you really need. Also, ask yourself if becoming Head Artist is what you need presently.
Goals should have deadlines. Your goals must have a time frame that pushes and motivates you to work towards achieving your set goals.
Having a time target hurries up your efforts and helps you prioritize your goals. Basing your goals on a time limit gives more encouragement to continue. It is also a way to measure your progress. Having time limits helps you stay on track.
Questions to ask yourself are:
Your goal is to undergo additional training to become an expert and get promoted to the position of Head Artist.
How long will it take to learn these new skills? If further training is required, do you have enough time to continue?
Bad Goal: I am starting a show.
Good SMART Goal:
Summary
I am starting a fashion show in mid-July. I will start meeting with associated brands in the first week of February.
Bad Goal: My team will deliver a presentation.
Good SMART Goals:
Summary
I am improving my team's work and making our discovery ready for presentation in a month.
Bad Goal: I want to lose weight
Good SMART Goal:
Summary
I am staying healthy and fit. I am visiting the gym for my workout sessions, 7 days a week and three hours a day.
Bad Goal: I want to write a book.
Good SMART Goal:
Summary:
I am writing a bestseller's book with 30,000 pages, 5 hours a day for the next 6 months.
Bad Goal: I want to increase my CGPA
Good SMART Goal:
Summary
I am improving my grades for a better job opportunity. I will be studying mathematics for a total of 5 hours for the next 8 weeks.
Bad Goal: I want to be a professor.
Good SMART Goal:
Summary:
I'm becoming an expert by gaining more degrees. I have 6 years to achieve this.
SMART goal templates are easy to set and help you analyze your goals. As planners, it helps to track and monitor your progress. Goal setting templates however differ from one another.
