Goal Setting The S.M.A.R.T. Way
Every December, many of us find ourselves scribbling resolutions at the back of our journals or making mental notes of what we plan achieve the following year. Yet, one study, as cited in an article of Harvard Business Review, suggests that only a mere 19% of people achieve those same goals over the following two years.
Not knowing how to pursue the goal, lacking willpower, or encountering unanticipated external forces are some of the often quoted reasons for not achivieng our goals.
There may be factors beyond our control in achieving our goals, but following a guideline developed by George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham in their 1981 article “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management goals and objectives” is a fairly good approach in helping us stay on track of our goals.
According to the article, there are 5 criteria to effective goal settings. These criteria are summed up in the acroynm S.M.A.R.T. For a better focus on our goal setting, we need to make sure that the goals we wish to purseu are Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Realistic, and Timely.
Goal setting can be daunting. But when accomplished, goal setting provides a place for reflection and to identify areas for future growth or change. It is thus an important aspect of our personal development journey. If you haven't started your goal setting process yet, follow us as we explore how to use the S.M.A.R.T. criteria as a guide in the following weeks. If you have already written down your goals for 2023, why not use the guide to test the sustainability of your goal setting plans!
