Last Updated on July 20, 2020 by John Prendergast
The calendar has turned to February. We’ve survived another month of winter, V-Day is coming up, and many people have ditched their New Year’s resolutions. People quickly give up on resolutions because they don’t properly define the goal. Resolutions often sound like this:
Go to the gym.
Quit smoking.
Volunteer.
Spend more time with family.
Organize stuff.
Grow my business.
These goals are vague and grandiose. They’re engineered to fail. The good news? A little extra thought to properly define a goal can empower people to successfully reach their desired result. Even better news? You can define your business goal now and get started today.
Step 1: Be SMART.
The key to success is having a SMART goal. What is a “SMART goal” you ask? One that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.
Here’s an example:
standard goal – “Get more clients.”
SMART goal – “Grow my book of business by 10% in the next 6 months through referrals from my network.”
— Want feedback on your SMART goal? Tweet it to @blueleafadvisor !
Step 2: Read it often.
Now that you’ve written a SMART goal, strategically note it a few different places where you CAN’T ignore it. Have it come to you. Put it in your calendar to repeat every Monday morning, write it on a business card to keep with the cash in your wallet, put a sticky note on the bathroom mirror. Whatever spots you’ll see it (at least once per week) will do the trick. The key is that you’re routinely reading the goal.
Step 3: Keep yourself accountable.
Put a reminder in your calendar 3 months from today to check-in with yourself. Paste your SMART goal in the notes of your reminder to be sure it’s documented. Also, promise a reward for yourself (game of golf, concert tickets) if you remain focused on the SMART goal.
There. Now continue to do your work with this goal in mind. You’re set up for success.
Typically, we’d wish you luck, but people with SMART goals don’t even need it.
