I’m sure you set goals for yourself and your company this year — but were they “SMARTER” goals?

Here’s what I mean by SMARTER:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Actionable

R – Risky

T – Time keyed

E – Exciting

R – Relevant

Did you end up resetting some of last year’s goals again? If so, it could be because you did not use the “Smarter” acronym. 

We all know there are lots of areas that we can set goals in. Here are a few areas:  physical, spiritual, intellectual, relationships, social, vocational, financial and hobbies. 

If you are wondering how to write a “smarter” goal I will give you an example. Let’s pick a weight loss goal and write it out in a “Smarter” format. (The reason why I picked weight loss is because this was one of the number one goals made by people that we work with when we are doing The Dream Employee in organizations.)

Write your goal in detail, be specific and set a deadline.

Weight loss goal in the “Smarter” format: 

I will lose 20 lbs. by 6/1/20. I will go from weighing 165 to 145 lbs. by going to the gym 4 times a week, hiring a trainer, meal planning and eating healthier. The reason I want to lose weight is to be able to keep up with my grandkids, feel better about myself and look better in my clothes.

S – Specific – Your goal needs to be specific. It should provide you with clarity and a concise aim as to where you are headed. Write it out in as much detail as possible.

M – Measurable – Your goal needs to be measurable. Also, you need to set a benchmark for making progress. This way you can see if you are making progress and if you are going to be able to complete it within the timeline you have set. As you make progress, be sure and record your success and celebrate the progress you are making in achieving your goal.

A – Actionable – Your goal needs to be actionable. Make sure you write down the specific actions that you need to do to achieve your goal. For example, how many times are you going to the gym?

R – Risky – Your goal needs to be risky. By this I don’t mean dangerous, but it needs to stretch you out of your comfort zone. If it is too easy, you probably won’t do it. 

T – Time Keyed – Your goal needs to be time keyed. Be sure to put an end date on your goal of when you want to achieve it by. If you don’t, there is really no incentive to move on it.

E – Exciting – Your goal needs to be exciting. If your goal doesn’t really motivate you and cause you to get excited for what the end results will be, then maybe you need to pick another goal.

R – Relevant – Your goal needs to be relevant. It needs to relate to you and what really matters to you. Set a goal that will make you become the best you.

“Smarter” goals not only work for you and your business, but they will also work for your employees because everyone has a dream or goal.

We work with business owners and leaders to help them utilize a program called The Dream Employee. This program asks each employee the question: What are your dreams, goals and aspirations for your life? And then we deposit encouragement, support, collaboration, and celebrate each employee as they make progress and achieve their goals.

When people are in the process of achieving their goals and dreams, that’s where real productivity, energy and creative genius starts to grow; they bring more and more of this to work every day.

Reach out to us and schedule a free consultation if you’d like help in your goal setting this year or if you’d like to learn more about The Dream Employee program.