Day 2: Be clear about what you want

A colleague of mine once told me that as children we have wishes, but as adults we need to have goals.  The difference between the two is in the level of clarity.  Both should be compelling but a goal should be stated clearly enough such that it can be acted upon.  There are several methods for making your goal clear, and one of the most popular and simple to use is:

Tip 2: Make your goal SMART

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic (and Relevant) and Timebound.    (There are other variations on this, but this will work just fine)

'Specific' - get detailed about your goal.  For example, if you want to lose weight, how much specifically?  If you want to get promoted, what to, specifically?

'Measurable' - how will you chart your progress?  How will you know that you have got there?  In short what measures will you use?  For example, if your goal is to increase your disposable income this year, how would you measure this?  If you want to get fitter, you might measure it by how fast you run a set distance, or how many times/hours you spend exercising etc.  You choose, what is important is that you have some way of monitoring your progress.

'Achievable' - be respectful of your starting point.  If you want to become an astronaut but don't have any 'O' levels (or are afraid of flying!) it is unlikely that you will achieve this in a year!  The best goals are the ones that are just out of reach of your current performance.  Too close and they are not motivating, too far away and they will seem impossible and you will lose your commitment.

'Realistic' - rather like the previous section, be mindful about your starting point, but also how much time you have to devote to pursuing your goal.  You will certainly have other things going on in your life so be clear about how much time you can really give to your goal.  (The 'Relevant' aspect can quickly be answered by asking yourself the question 'How important is this goal to me?  We will say more about this later)

'Timebound' - some goals are ongoing eg 'stop swearing', 'be more optimistic', 'treat people with respect'.  Other goals have a definite end point eg 'Run 10k in less than 60 mins by September 30th 2013'.  Regardless of the type of goal you set, it's a good idea to put some 'stakes in the sand' - points where you can take stock of your progress or decide whether or not you have reached your goal.  Having a deadline helps you keep a higher level of momentum.

You can find out more about goal setting by reading our hints and tips sheet 'Does your goal setting measure up?' Click on the link below and then click on the relevant pdf file.

http://www.enthiostraining.co.uk/web//index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=82&func=select&id=3