Almost everyone knows what it is like to set a goal and then fail to reach it, even though it feels like you did try. We tell ourselves that we are going to run that marathon or finish that degree or lose that weight, and then weeks later it falls apart. It completely failed and it often feels we are the failure.

The reason why so many of us struggle to reach our goals is not because we are failures. It's because no one teaches us how to reach a goal. If you don't know how to do something, you can't do it.

This doesn’t just affect individuals. Teams often struggle to reach goals because they don’t know how to create an effective plan to get there. Learning how to reach goals is important in your personal life as well as for your professional development.

How do you reach your goals? It's all in the planning.

SMART Goals

One of the biggest obstacles to professional development is just starting. Sometimes your goals can feel overwhelming. The fear becomes too great and we give up. So, how do we overcome this? With SMART goals!

SMART is an acronym that guides us to achievement. Instead of going for a 10-mile run, or giving up our favorite foods, SMART goals are a template that helps to create a game plan that works with the human psyche; allowing us to continue to feel motivated, know each step, and be able to finally achieve what we set out to do.

S - Specific

Specificity is key to setting goals. Many people want to "get in shape," but that is a vague term. What does "get in shape" mean? Is it a certain size? Is it a certain A1c or blood pressure reading? Are you in shape if you can run a mile? What about two? Telling yourself "I'm going to get in shape this year" without being specific sets yourself up for failure because it's too nebulous.

Choose a specific goal - "I'm going to complete a 5k in less than 30 minutes," "I will register for a class in the Fall semester." These are specific goals that have meaning. You know what it means to reach these goals, so it's easier to figure out the path to get there. When setting a goal, make sure it is specific - it has a who, what, where, when, why, and how.

M - Measurable

If you can't measure a goal, you won't know how close you are to reaching it. Creating something that isn't measurable - "I want to be a runner" is confusing. How will you know when you've reached your goal and how close you are to reaching it? "I'm going to complete a 5k in less than 30 minutes" gives you two measurements; distance and time. With this goal, you can see your progress as you are able to run further and faster. Not only does this allow you to gauge how well you are doing but it also allows you to see your success along the way. If you can see that you are running a little farther each day, you'll recognize that your efforts are getting you to where you want to be.

A - Attainable

Attainability is tough for achievers. Many of us are ambitious and this can cause us to create goals that aren't realistic. How many people have you met who "are going to run a marathon someday?" Is a marathon attainable? Probably. But is it attainable for someone who is out-of-shape to get up and run 26 miles? Almost certainly it isn't. And that sets us up for failure. If running a marathon someday is the goal, that's fine. It's a good goal to have. But when making a plan, start with something attainable - like a 5k or 10k - and use that achievement as a stepping stone to greater goals.

R - Relevant

This one is pretty obvious. If your goal is to get in shape or be a runner, focusing your time on blogging about it isn't going to get you there.

T - Time-bound

Setting a deadline is important to obtaining goals. By creating a deadline, the goal becomes more realistic and harder to put off. "Running a marathon someday" never comes, because "someday" is always pretty far away. "I'm going to complete a 5k in less than 30 minutes by Halloween" is time-bound. If the leaves are starting to turn and you haven't started on the goal, you know that you need to start now to make your deadline.

By setting SMART goals, you are creating a plan for yourself that makes it easier for you to reach your goals.

If you are in Colorado and want more information on goal setting or are curious about how setting SMART goals can help your team’s professional development, contact me today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation with True Grit Performance Counseling.