For anyone listening to me, I have been sharing that this upcoming year is our YEAR! But in order to turn our wishes into action and reach our resolutions, we need to set goals. The secret to goal setting isn’t sheer determination, but rather mapping out your plan, documenting it on paper, and sharing it with others that will help you maintain accountability. The best goals often are the simpliest, but also challenging. What do I mean? Think of you last goal… did you accomplish it? Perhaps not… why? It was likely too overwhelming (not simple enough), too easy (thus, you didn’t commit), or worst yet, impossible!

Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T.

Specific
Can you answer all the W’s? Who? What? Where? When? And most importantly… WHY? Why is this goal so important to you and why now?

Measureable
Are your goals measureable to someone other than yourself? You should be able to determine your daily, weekly, and monthly success as either “yes” or “no.”

Attainable
Is your goal actually achievable? Remember, you are not super-human. Create a goal that is challenging, but not impossible.

Relelvant

Going back to the why… this is what gives your goal meaning and makes it intrinsically important to you, not someone else. 

Timely
Face it, we all procrasinate. If the goal is not time-bound, it may never actually be accomplished!

Finally, remember your self-worth is NOT attached to your goals. Making a goal S.M.A.R.T. allows for progression. It is okay to revise goals and lean on others for support.