Be S.M.A.R.T in 2006

It is traditional to make resolutions at the beginning of the year, but all too often these New Year's resolutions are broken quickly. This may be because many goals, although well meant, are simply unrealistic, for example, "I will take up regular exercise" or "I will stop eating chocolate".

To attain your goals, they must be S.M.A.R.T:

(S)pecific - definite, concise and written. Writing your goals helps crystallize exactly what you want to accomplish. Write each goal in one or two sentences. Clearly define it in terms of your senses: How does it look, feel, smell, taste and sound? See your goal in terms of size, color, location, movement and any other characteristic or property that can be perceived by the senses. A short, written, simple, concise goal statement is easier to think about, remember, and act on.

(M)easurable - to determine its dimensions. When a goal is measurable, you have a standard by which to analyze it and estimate completion. If it is not measurable, it is extremely difficult to project when you will attain it, how far you have to go, or how much energy it will take.

(A)dvance - set in advance. Each goal is a destination, a desired outcome for your endeavors. If it is not set in advance, then you cannot make plans, nor take effective steps to attain it. When you set a goal in advance, you give focus to your life, thoughts and energy.

(R)ealistic - attainable. One of the easiest ways to set yourself up for failure is to select improper goals. No goal is impossible, but it may be unrealistic at your particular state of development at a given time. Make sure that your goals are realistic and attainable for you, based on where you are right now.

(T)ime - cover a definite time period. You must set a definite time by which to accomplish each goal. A definite time period gives you a standard by which to measure and regulate your performance. This time period should be realistic in light of your level of skill, time and resources available, time constraints of the goal itself, and of past performance by yourself and others.

If you write your goals, in each area of you life, concisely and in great detail, then you can make a written plan. If you follow your plan consistently and persistently, your vision for the New Year will be realized, probably I would say.

Others argue that it often happens despite the fact that we do nothing more than write them down, like Henriette Klauser in Write It Down, Make It Happen. She says that even if you don’t create an action plan for each goal and work your plan, there is tremendous power in simply identifying what you want and focusing some thought on the outcome.

I have already written my personal goal list for 2006. And you?

Happy New Year 2006!