This week we’re just going to go straight no chaser right into proper goal writing. You’ve been trying forever to actually get a goal done and it just doesn’t seem to ever work out. Perhaps you aren’t writing them down right! I learned of this awesome technique for writing great clear goals from Michael Hyatt! He tells us to make our goals SMARTER.  Let’s try it out.

S- Specific: Goals need to be really specific. The more pinpointed, the better. The more you are able to focus in on what you really want to accomplish the more likely you are to get it done. Specificity is key.

M- Measurable: Not only does the goal need to be specific, it also has to be measurable. How do you know you’ve won if you can’t count the cost?  Without a score no one knows who won the basketball championship, so you have to keep score! Having a numerical end point to your goal will help you focus and know when you finally get there.

A – Actionable: You actually have to be able to do the goal.  It has to include some action that would move you towards that measurable end you already put on it.  For instance, I want to be a better friend by August 1, 2019 is both specific (we could argue about that one but go with me here) and measurable. But the question remains: how are you going to do it? Give your goal an action so that you can actually accomplish it. Perhaps a better goal for being a better friend would be: Deepen my friendships by calling my three closest friends and talking with them at least 30 mins every week.

R – Risky: Ok now this one may scare my cautious people. A goal needs to make you a little bit nervous. While the goals can’t be delusional, you have to actually be able to do it, there should be a little bit of a chance that you won’t be able to accomplish what you set out to do. Making the goal risky will challenge you to make it happen. But please note, if you go too far into the delusional lane it can also discourage you from even trying. 

Time: bound: Goals need to have a start and end. This kind of goes hand and hand with the measurable step, propelling it forward a bit more. But with a time constraint of some sort, you can more efficiently figure out where to focus and when.  

Exciting: On to the fun part! The goal you set actually has to excite you. I dare say, if it doesn’t excite you, don’t put it down as a goal. If the possibility of its completion doesn’t make you smile, it may not be the right goal for you at this time. 

Relevant: Finally, your goal must be relevant for your life and make sense for the season you are in. Weighing everything going on in your life, does this goal make sense? For instance, you want to get out of debt, save a fully funded emergency fund and buy a house all in the next six months. Reality check: You may not be able to do that all at once! This is where you have to be sober minded and make a decision about which goals you are going to tackle when.

Ok so we have a new way of writing up our goals! Try rewording one of your goals for 2020 in this fashion and let me know what happens!

By the way, just writing down your goal right isn’t the only thing that you need to get stuff done! It’s so key to incorporate your goals in your life and I’ve put together a quick workbook that can help you set up your goals for success! Check out my Goal Setting Workbook on the Resources page at Sonjaw.com!