Coach Dodie here this week to talk to you about goal setting!

Are your goals Smart?

Or are you shooting for the moon and hoping to ‘land on a star’?

At this time of year we all like to make a lot of goals for ourselves and then they quickly fall apart before we even start working towards them.

Why is that?

Maybe your goals are not S.M.A.R.T enough for you!

Here are some metrics to ensure your goals are inspiring enough for you to actually set out and achieve them:

Some people will say you need “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” or to “shoot for the moon”. It is good to have some big audacious goals that really question if you’re asking enough of yourself, but we also want to set ourselves up to win.

Success breeds success, so it doesn’t help when we set goals too high and consistently fail.

We follow the timeless metrics of setting S.M.A.R.T goals:

Specific
Measurable
Aligned
Realistic
Timely

Specific: If I want a new car what does that mean? If I just ask the universe for a car, I might end up with a 1988 rusty K-car. I want to make sure I’m more specific and say I want an SUV with four-wheel drive that is reliable so that I can get my family around. Be very specific with your goals! It will help you reach them faster AND make sure you’re happy with what conspires.

Measurable: When setting a smart goal, you want to ensure you can measure that you have achieved your goal at 100% or not. There are some goals people set, like “eat healthier” or “workout more” that aren’t measurable.

Aligned: Make sure your goals are aligned with your core values. If your goal is not aligned with your core values it is likely to get pushed off to the side. You’ll procrastinate and do other things that are linked closer to your values. For example, the car may be linked to your core values if you value Family. You need a reliable yet spacious vehicle for yourself and your family. Being a part-time business owner, Coach, Mom, and taxi driver… I highly value a reliable car with lots of space. Especially when that can handle our rough Canadian winters.

Realistic: Is it realistic to get a new car? Yes. Have you figured out the finances of getting a new vehicle? Yes. If you make a goal that is not realistic (let’s say a Jaguar) there will be some unconscious chatter that says “you’re never going to get that”. You didn’t even reach 9/10 goals you set last year”… So make sure your goal isn’t SUCH a stretch that it sets off your inner critic that’s designed to “keep you safe” and sabotages your hopes and dreams.

Timely: A goal without a timeline or deadline is simply a wish. Set your goal for the end of a specific month or year! This will help you keep a pulse on your completion level and motivate you to go through the finish line.

So there you have it.

Check your goals to make sure they check off all these boxes.

Our “I Know I Am Successful When exercise” is essentially a SMART goal setting spreadsheet that allows you to monitor your level of “success” and the progress you’ve made throughout the year towards YOUR definition of what success is.

You can’t get what you want if you don’t know what you want.

Download the I Know I Am Successful When exercise by clicking here.