So, do you have a big project that you are working on, and need tips on how to find success without the struggle? I have something that may help. I am talking about SMART goals –
1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Attainable
4. Realistic
5. Time-bound
I am discovering that if my goals don’t line up with these areas, I’m pretty much wasting my time. To watch a video about SMART goal setting, click here. This is a video you can share with your team at work, church, or non-profit organization.
Take time today to discover new opportunities that perhaps you didn’t know about. You have potential to do great things in life. Never underestimate your God-given talent. Your ability to overcome certain obstacles is evidence of your will to win.
Here are four habits of mine that help me reach my SMART goals:
1. Pray.
6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4:6-7, The Message)
2. Encourage.
We were designed to be relational. Creating solid, healthy relationships is vital. They help you to see things that you may overlook. These relationships can also be a source of inspiration.
3. Reflect.
Observing where you’ve come from is important, because it helps you to better understand where you are in life. Looking back is good, yet don’t look back for too long. Keep your focus on things that are in the present and in the future.
4. Read.
As a teacher, I constantly remind my students to read. One of my favorite lines is “readers are leaders.” Reading exposes you, stretches you, and challenges you to new ideas about life.
Great post, Dewitt. It is important to look at goals through a SMART lens. And the habits you listed are great ones for anyone to adopt in their lives. My favorite point is to encourage. I was talking the other night with a few couples and all of the people who were influential in their lives were encouragers. I’ve enjoyed your posts very much.
There’s also a grounding clause that’s important: the objective must be ethical and wise. Here’s an unethical but SMART goal: “Steal at least $5000 from the bank on the corner of 4th and Vine streets by September 5th.” Fortunately your four habits will help you avoid that type of goal!
Even in its apparent simplicity, the SMART acronym really does keep you from spinning your wheels. For instance, wonder why you aren’t reaching your goal of becoming a “noted author and helping others by being a highly-sought speaker”? It’s not SMART. That is, it’s not Specific. Nor is it Measurable. Therefore, it isn’t Realistic that you will Attain it in any given Time frame. Better SMART goals in this nebulous goal might be the following:
These goals are now SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.
The size of the goal doesn’t matter, as long as you have reason to believe that, given all current factors, they meet the SMART criteria.
Just thought a concrete example might help for those who are unfamiliar with SMART goals.
Thanks, Dewitt. And we’ll look forward to your accomplishing your own SMART goals in the near future!