Make Your Goals S.M.A.R.T.

http://www.singlewomenofexcellence.com

Making a New Year's Resolution or any goal can either be discouraging or rewarding in the end.  Many people make them but very few make a real commitment to them.  What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?  You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps.  The key to success in achieving your goals is to "Make Your Goals S.M.A.R.T."!

Specific - Goals need to be specific and clear.  A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.  Clearly identify the goal and answer the six "W" questions:

• Who - Who is involved? 
• What - What do I want to accomplish? 
• Where - Identify a location. 
• When - Establish a time frame. 
• Which - Identify requirements and contraints. 
• Why - Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.  Answer questions such as: How much?  How many?  How will I know when it's accomplished?  Goals that you can measure will allow you to gauge your progress over time so you can reward yourself for staying on track.

Attainable - Ask yourself: Can I accomplish the goal?  Is the goal achievable?  Do I have the resources I need to attain the goal?  When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true.  You develop attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them.  Develop the right attitude to ensure you achieve your goals.

Realistic - A goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.  You are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be.  Ask yourself: Am I truly going to be able to accomplish the goal I've set for myself?  What are the barriers that are going to keep me from achieving my goal and how will I overcome them?  Try not to set really extreme goals.  Making small changes along the way is usually best.  Small changes = Big difference.

Timely - A goal must have a target date.  Without one, it's not very motivating and you are less likely to stick to your goal.  A deadline too far in the future is too easy to put off and a goal that's set too close is not only unrealistic, but it's discouraging.  Develop a timeline for yourself.

Are you able to stick to your New Year's Resolution each year or do you tend to stray away from it after a while?  Share some of your experiences with goal setting...