Be SMART to Plan your Goals
Setting objectives is not an easy task. We often know where we want to go, although we are not always clear enough about ‘how’ to do it.
If you are prepared to reach your goals, you need to start by establishing a SMART plan.
SMART is an acronym for the five conditions that each goal must have to be considered a smart strategy.
We owe the term to professor and researcher George Doran, who defined the characteristics that should be considered when setting a goal. For which he configured a methodology that serves as a guide when writing our objectives.
Specific
A specific goal is more likely to be achieved than a general goal. In other words, identifying and defining objectives with precision is an exercise that will allow for more straightforward execution and maintain focus throughout the process.
When defining your goal, ask yourself: What am I going to sell? Where? To whom? When do I want to achieve it? What resources do I need to achieve it? How will I work on it? Why do I want to do it?
Measurable
How will you know if you’ve reached your goal?
You need to quantify it. Determining how you will measure progress toward your goal is the way to know that you have achieved your objective. Choose a method for doing this and stick to it.
The benefits of measuring a goal go beyond determining whether you reach it. It allows you to take the necessary steps to correct unexpected deviations and get back on track.
Achievable
It’s good to set goals that challenge yourself, but it can be counterproductive because if you don’t reach them, you face failure and frustration.
A good measure to increase your chances is to break the goal down into smaller steps that you will need to reach it.
Be proactive and ask yourself what obstacles might arise during the process and create contingency plans to overcome them.
Realistic
Linked to the previous point, realistic refers to setting objectives within our possibilities. Is it adjusted to your reality? Is it the right time to set it up?
If you are not interested in finishing a project, the difficulty of achieving it will increase. If your enthusiasm and commitment to the objective are not high, perhaps it is time to introduce a change.
Time-Bound
Include a deadline for your goal. Otherwise, the sense of urgency disappears, and it will no longer be a priority compared to other commitments. This is a critical point because it requires self-discipline: you will be in control of that time yourself.
Delimiting a goal implies establishing deadlines for compliance, which will avoid relaxing the pressure and postponing it in time.
A good idea is to establish a planned calendar with the activities necessary to reach the set date. This will help you to visualize which tasks need to be done and when to avoid emergencies.
SMART is a useful tool for organizing goals. You can apply this method in global projects and more specific ones.
