More about Setting Goals

Last week I started taking a closer look at why and how to set some goals. Why set goals? It’s just smart to set some. So, how do you go about setting goals? It’s simple. It's all about being SMART.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

We have talked about being specific, measurable, and attainable. Now we will look at the final two: realistic and timely.

Realistic: This does not mean that you don’t challenge yourself to set bigger goals. But it does mean that the goals are in fact “do-able” and workable. If you do not have the tools to accomplish a goal, then it is not likely a realistic goal.

For example: An unrealistic goal might be “I want to build my own house” whereas a realistic goal might be more like “I want to take some free classes on how to build things on my own since I have never touched a tool before in my life.”

Timely: Putting an end point on your goal helps give you something to focus on. Especially if you are a procrastinator at heart, this is an important one for you! If there is no end time, there is no urgency to get started or to keep going. This will help to give you a better picture of where you are going and when you are going to get there.

What goals would you like to work on? Has this helped you in setting some goals for yourself?

Here is one ultimate goal I have: I would like my house to be ready for someone to stop by at any point of the day. I will do this by working on my organization and finding a home for everything, especially the little things. I will spend a little time during each nap that my son takes to make sure things are put away, making sure I do not have to step over anything to walk through my house.
"By the end of this week, my house will be clean enough to have guests over (what would I want my house to look like if I was trying to sell it?), always, and I will work to keep it this way by continually putting things back into the spots I created for them."

How to set attainable goals

It’s the end of June. It’s just as good a time as any to set some goals. Getting ready to start a new month. Getting ready to start the second half of the year. Maybe you’re on summer break and distracted with kids being home. Maybe your life is no different in the summer. Whatever the case, and whatever your life situation, it can never hurt to set some goals.

We’ve just looked at how to make goals specific and how to make them measurable. Now for the “A” in the word SMART: attainable.

You want to make any goal you have attainable. The key to setting goals is being able to achieve them, not to set the standard so high and ridiculous that you could never in your wildest dreams even try to accomplish it.

An example of a general and non-attainable goal might be: “I want to lose 30 pounds this week so I look good in my bathing suit this weekend.” An attainable (and safe) goal would sound more like: “I want to lose 1-2 pounds each week for the next 6 months so I can ultimately lose 30 pounds.”

It is not healthy to lose 30 pounds in a week. And it is not attainable. If you set goals that you really can achieve then you are more likely to follow through to completion.

How to set measurable goals

So, you’ve decided you want to make some changes. You want to set some goals. You are beginning to think about what they could be. Maybe you are a little overwhelmed. Maybe you are a bit excited. Maybe you are flushed with all sorts of emotions. Maybe you know exactly where you want to go. But maybe you have absolutely no idea.

That’s why it’s good to set goals. Especially SMART goals.
You’ve tried to make it more specific. Now let’s make it measurable.

You need to set concrete criteria in which you can measure your progress.



If your goals are measurable you should be able to answer the following questions:

How much?
How Many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?

For example: a general goal may be "I'm going to clean my house" whereas a measurable goal might be "I'm going to spend 30 minutes each day for the next week cleaning my house."

You want to succeed.

You’ve got to be able to measure that success.

How to set specific goals

So you know you want to make some changes, right? You know you want to set some goals and do things a little differently. But how in the world do you get started. You get SMART. You set some SMART goals.



Step 1: Be Specific.

If you make your goal specific you are more likely to be able to accomplish it. It's as simple as answering the old "W" questions.

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
Which?

For example: a general goal may be "I want to spend less money" whereas a specific goal might be "I want to spend $50 less each month on groceries."

This second one is much more specific because it has an exact number and a category. If it is just a general goal, what are you really working toward?

Think about some of the things you might want to do differently and think about how you can be specific in the goals you are going to set. This is just the first step, but it’s an important one!

How to Set Goals

I have been talking each month about my goals for saving and spending. I really started trying to focus on our finances back in March, really trying to figure out where and how we could cut back on our spending. For me, I enjoy setting goals because it helps me to focus on where I am going. From staying healthy to saving money, goals are great.

So why Set Goals? Why not just try to change? Why not just try?

Goals can help you:

be disciplined.
stay focused.
see progress.
remain motivated.
be accountable.

So, how do you go about setting goals? It's simple. It's all about being SMART.
You may have heard it before, but it's a good reminder to look at this acronym. I learned this in college and it has been a great help ever since! In all areas of life.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

Each day this week we will look a little closer at each of these, learning how to set better goals. You don’t have to wait for January to come around again for some New Year’s resolutions. Let’s start fresh in July!