smart goal setting conceptMany of us set goals in life. Some of us are learning to set them yearly, over 90 days, monthly, weekly, and daily. It’s important that these goals are not wishy-washy non-achievable goals. One way of stopping this is by using the SMART mnemonic.

There are plenty of versions, (some included in parenthesis), SMART usually stands for:

  • S – Specific (or Significant).
  • M – Measurable (or Meaningful).
  • A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
  • R – Relevant (or Rewarding).
  • T – Time-bound (or Trackable).

(Mind Tools)

For example, instead of having “to cycle around Ireland” as a goal, it’s more powerful to use the SMART goal “To have completed my cycle around the world by 31 December 2030.” This goal will only be achieved after the completion of  a great deal of preparation!

I’m looking forward to using SMART when setting goals in the near future.