It is that time of the year again. If you’re anything like me, you often start the year with a clear goal and good intentions, only to abandon your resolution by February. Habits can be hard to break, and it can be even harder to form new ones. This year, we invite you to approach your new years resolution a little differently by using SMART goals.
SMART is an acronym: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timeliness. SMART goals are a way to plan out the intention behind and the details of your new resolution in the hopes that it is easier to accomplish.
Specific: answer the 5 W’s – who, what, when, where, and why?
Measurable: how will you know when you have made progress? How will you know you have accomplished your goal?
Attainable: Ask yourself, how confident am I that I can accomplish my goal? What are the small steps necessary to help myself achieve this goal?
Relevant: how meaningful is this goal? What is your motivation to keep going? Look further out to see where you want to be once you achieve your goal.
Timeliness: a timeline can help us stay on track. Ask yourself, what is a reasonable amount of time to accomplish this goal? Where do you want to be in 3 months? 6 months?
Let’s try this together.
Say your goal is to read more books this year.
Specific: I am going to read 5 books this year. They can be fiction or non-fiction, but at least one of each. I like reading in my reading nook at home but will go to the café down the street as well.
Measurable: I will be sure to read at least 30 mins a week until I have read 5 books.
Attainable: I read 4 books last year, and I think I can read 5 this year. I will need to keep track every week of the amount of time I am reading.
Relevant: I enjoy reading but have difficulty finding the time. 30 mins a week will help me structure reading time into my daily and weekly routines. This will also give me a chance to explore new genres.
Timeliness: I would like to read 5 books by the end of the year. I would like to be done with my first book in 6 weeks, and hopefully done with my second book in 3 months.
SMART goals essentially help us create a roadmap to our end goal. While they don’t make the work any easier, they can help us stay motivated and feel good about the progress we make. Don’t forget to give yourself grace as you work towards your goals. No roadmap comes without it’s bumps and unexpected turns.
If you want to read more about SMART goals, click the links below:
SMART Goals: How to Make Your Goals Achievable
