It doesn’t have to be New Years; we can set goals on any day of the year.  The time of year won’t drive our success.  What will help to ensure our success is the specifics of our goal.  In the case of goals, your success is definitely in the details.

How much detail?  A great deal.  The acronym that follows will be your guide to smart goal setting:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable/Action-Oriented

Realistic

Timely

The more detail you add to your goal, the greater the likelihood you’ll achieve your goal.  That means you need to say more than my goal is to be promoted this year.

To be specific means you’ll spell out all the steps you’ll take to get your promotion.  That means you’ll think about what it takes at your firm.  Think about the promotions you know of; then, figure out what prompted each promotion.  What performance review comments give you a clue to actions to take?  Will you need to take a class or work extra hours?  Perhaps you’ll need to take on a special project or make speeches at industry events. 

Describe the many steps to achieve your goal.  Use these to create your plan.  As you lay out your action plan, decide what defines success at each point of your plan.  Decide on the timing for each point on your plan. 

Once you have your plan prepared, become your devil’s advocate.  Are there holes in the plan?  How will you get that special project assignment?  When might that happen?  Is it realistic to think you’ll be able to achieve each point on your plan?  Does the timing satisfy you?  Is there another way? 

How long will it take you to complete the many points on the plan?  Determine whether your goal is a six-month project or a two-year project.  Adjust your plan to the reality and the timing of the details. 

As you plan, be sure to consider the possibility that you won’t reach your goal – ever or at the least in your timeframe.  Why might that happen?  Is there a way to correct for that?  What is your fallback plan? 

Once you’ve shaped your plan, it’s time to take action.  One of the greatest causes of failure in goal setting is the failure to get started.  Another cause for failure is the failure to measure progress.  Name specific check points on the road to your goal.  At those times, assess your progress using the measures you planned.  Sometimes a plan will need modification.  That’s okay.  If you see progress and the remainder of your plan is realistic, you are on the way to reaching your goal.

Not For Every Goal

Who will be successful using SMART as their goal attainment method?  Those whose goals do not require a personal change can use SMART successfully.

If your goal requires that you change a personal habit, you’ll need to use the change techniques at Change In Your Life.  If your goal calls for a diet or smoking cessation, for example, you are making a significant change.  That requires a different set of tools.

If, however, your goal is simple and you already have the personal habits and skills to make it happen, then the SMART tools may be right for you.