Why Your Goals Need To Be SMART

You've probably heard about setting SMART goals sometime before already, probably in some training and somehow, your mind just assumes that setting SMART goals are for the workplace alone. On the contrary, if you are setting any goals in any aspect of your life, making them SMART will help you be more productive at the end of the day.

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as, "I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living," and that is it. They are all wishes and none of them are clear goals.

Just in case you don't know what SMART goals are, it's explained here. I'll use the example of weight loss as a goal because I do want to lose some weight.

1. S--specific. For example, "I want to lose weight." This is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when I pin myself down to "I will lose 10 pounds in 90 days."

2. M--must be measurable. If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring progress, e.g, how much weight have I lost in 2 weeks by sticking to a particular routine?

3. A--must be achievable. Achievable means that it should be out of reach enough to be challenging but it should not be out of sight, otherwise it becomes disheartening. I can't be a size 20 and expect to go down to a size 8 (I'm not saying I'm a size 20, just an example).

4. R--realistic. A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic, forget the scam diets and exercise routines.

5. T--time-bound. There should be a starting date and a finishing date.

There you have it, start setting goals, and not just goals, SMART goals!

Cover image via Thebodydepartment