If you have ever attended a workshop on goal setting, guaranteed the workshop covered the aspect of SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-specific.
The specific part needs to be just that, specific, such as becoming more proficient at using Excel. To make the goal measurable, you need something to let you know you have completed your goal, such as participating in a three-weekend workshop on Excel that has three levels. Attainable means you have to attend those workshops on Excel. Realistic means that you don't set the deadline for this goal to one week from now when the workshop is over three weekends, and that it fits with you. Time-specific means you set a specific end date for the goal to be accomplished, for this case, the day after the last-day of the workshops. Follow those steps, and you have a SMART goal.
However, what usually gets overlooked is whether the goal is relevant or that you have the motivation to do it. We see this happen a lot with New Year's resolutions. It could be that the goal wasn't "SMART" but typically we do set up goals properly. What is missing is whether that goal is relevant to your current life situation, and that you have the motivation (internal or external) to keep progressing with the goal.
To determine if a goal is relevant, you have to look at your current social, mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. If you are currently pregnant, a weight loss plan is not a relevant goal. If you are in the process of relocating, an organizational goal is not a relevant goal. Goals need to be relevant. If you need to take an Excel course in order to perform better at your job, that goal is relevant. If you need to take a 30-minute walk a day for health reasons, that is a relevant goal.
For me, what is the most important aspect of goal setting is having a reward system in place. If there is no reward or celebration to recognize the completion of the goal, it will be difficult to want to complete or set another goal. The reward system needs to be synonymous with the goals. For example if you have two goals, one is to learn Excel and the other is to finish a school program, the reward for finishing a school program should be much larger than completing the Excel workshops.
Even having little rewards along the way, such as a candy or watching a TV show, is a great way to keep yourself motivated in completing a task. A little reward that I do for myself when studying all day for a major exam is that I study for about 30 to 45 minutes, then I watch an over of the latest cricket match I am watching, which usually takes about five to 10 minutes, then I get back to studying.
The next time you make the so-called SMART goal, be sure to include a reward system for yourself, and to make sure the goal is relevant to you.
