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Are your goals really S.M.A.R.T goals? – Goal setting

October 30, 2008 by Anne Bachrach Leave a Comment

There is a school of thought that says all the goals you create must be S.M.A.R.T. goals. This means each goal you write down, or goal setting, is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible or Timely.

I take issue with the words realistic and attainable. After all, who defines what is possible in the realm of reality? I believe goals should be “stretch goals” – goals that are achievable and also require stretching perceived limits. This extra push provides inspiration and motivation. Stretch goals are win-win and even if you fall short of achieving a stretch goal, you’ve probably exceeded your “realistic” goal.

The word attainable bothers me for similar reasons. Obviously, you want your goal to be within reach, but that same “stretch” should be added for additional motivation and inspiration.

I believe each goal must have a specific target date (month, day and year) associated with it. Most people assume that just noting the year with a goal is specific enough, but goal setting requires pinpoint specification. Be sure to note a day, month and year for each goal.

In theory, working toward your goals is not complicated and being perfect isn’t a requirement. Do the things that move you toward your goals, and stop doing the things that do not move you toward achieving the tasks on your goal setting list.

The rule should be that most days you perform most of the things that move you closer to your goals. Being perfect isn’t a requirement. Consider what would happen if most of what you said and did every day moved you toward your goals.

Filed Under: Blog Post, Goal Setting, Time Management

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