5 Steps to SMART Goal Setting

SMART goal setting is the most well-known and widely used technique to structure effective goals - goals that get you where you want to be. This 5-step plan to setting goals, is a highly appropriate mnemonic for the essential elements to achieve your success. . You may use it in any order and be sure to include all 5 characteristics in your goal.

'If you want to achieve more in your life, then eliminating the ways of thinking that stall you,
that cause you to freeze, that create fear of failure and success, that make tasks look impossible, that cause you to quit is not an option... ...It's a necessity.'

When you use SMART goal setting to set you on your path to be Happy, set smaller incremental goals across all areas of your life and even parts of your day. e.g. work, chores, leisure, waking, food, exercise.

Remember THOSE GOLDEN RULES when setting YOUR goals:

• Goals MUST be written down
• Goals MUST be stated in the positive and in the present tense
• Set smaller goals (incremental) towards a major or long-term goal
• When setting several smaller goals check that they do not sabotage each other

SMART goal setting stands for:

1. Specific -
   What exactly will be your outcome (positive and present tense)
   How will you know you have achieved it?
   Why is it important to you?

   For example an incremental Happiness goal might be:
   I get through the Monday morning sales meeting with a genuine smile on my face.

2. Measurable -
   Write down your current/starting point.
   How will you measure progress?
   Good questions to ask are: How much? How many? How long?

   For example the Monday morning meeting could focus on:
   - getting through the first 15 minutes or
   - responding politely to a particularly difficult colleague '5 times' initially.

3. Attainable -
   It is no good wishing for the moon, or setting your target too high or too far. The point of goal setting is to take yourself some way outside your comfort zone or you never achieve more than you are currently.
   Is it within your control or does it rely on or include someone else.
   
   Identify goals that are most important to you then you will find ways to make them come true.

4. Realistic -
   To feel a sense of achievement and to stretch yourself your goal has to represent substantial progress.
   You decide how high to set your goal
   Do you truly believe YOU can accomplish it?
   Have you done anything similar in the past?
   What conditions would have to exist for you to accomplish this goal?

   It may not be realistic to be Happy 100% of the time, but it is sure worth the effort to try.

5. Time frame -
   What is the date/time you set yourself to achieve this goal - be specific
   Without a 'deadline' your brain will continue to procrastinate.
   
   Goals must have a specific time-frame e.g. by 30th September 2008. This will set your unconscious mind to work on the goal.

Personally I set the time-frame first and it keeps me on track.

Smart goal setting is only one of many goal setting techniques. Check out the NLP P.O.W.E.R format, the Life Coaching G.R.O.W modeland the creative 'right-brained' S.A.F.E goal setting.

Wishing you all the success you deserve - DO IT. BE HAPPY!

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