Establish SMART goals

Midway through the year is a great time to think about goals, before the press of children returning to school and business goals that must be met in the last quarter. This is the time to think clearly about what you really want to get accomplished next, because goal-setting is an iterative process. As soon as you've met one, you are likely moving on to something bigger and better.

Successful organizations and individuals rely on goals to stay focused on what they want to accomplish, and help motivate the process of moving forward. A clear vision of what you want to achieve is a major determinant in achieving success in any area of your life. Great goals combined with SMART and SMARTER goals will inspire you to do your best, not beat yourself up for a failure to achieve them. Shoot for the stars and you may land on the moon.

Great goals must contain certain elements to be effective: They are outcome focused, in line with your personal values, stated in a positive manner, and are self-directed. If you know why you want to do something, you are 90 percent of the way there. When a goal aligns with your values, the easier it will be for you to do the work to accomplish it. (People do accomplish goals that are not aligned with their personal values, but it is harder, and frequently leaves them with a bad aftertaste.) Stating goals positively, such as, "I will have healthy fingernails by the end of this year," is better than, "I want to stop biting my nails." And finally, the goal must be within your own control to accomplish. Saying you "want a raise" puts the onus on someone else. Instead, you can say, "I want more responsibility," and the outcome may result in you getting a raise.

Next, an attainable goal must be SMART or even SMARTER. The first known use of the term SMART occurred in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. The most commonly accepted terms in the mnemonic are:

Specific: The more specific a goal is, the better. It answers the question, "Who and what are involved?" "I want to be healthier," is too vague to provide a clear picture of success. "I will exercise to help control my blood pressure," is better.

Measurable: In order to track your progress, and know when the goal has been attained, it must be quantifiable. An example of a goal that is specific and measurable is, "I will lose 20 pounds."

Attainable: It is important to establish a goal that will stretch you but which can be reasonably met. If your goal is to lose 100 pounds by your daughter's wedding next month, it is simply not realistic, and you will be doomed to fail. Failure to achieve goals is demotivating and deflating. This helps you identify both the requirements and constraints around your goal.

Relevant: Your goals should be important to you. This answers the question, "Why do I want this?" If your spouse is nagging you to lose weight, you are less likely to achieve this than if you want to lose weight because you would like to have a long and healthy life with your spouse.

Time-bound: Deadlines are useful. They provide a sense of urgency and help keep you focused with the added advantage of letting you know how close you are to achieving your goal. "I will lose 20 pounds," becomes, "I will lose 20 pounds by the new year." If you have lost 10 pounds by Oct. 1, you know you are halfway there.

Two other letters sometimes are added to SMART to make the mnemonic SMARTER. They are: Evaluate and Reassess. These are necessary steps for project and performance management to determine if the goals are moving toward the desired outcome, or need to be changed in light of new information. This is where the question, "What's next?" can be answered.

Setting great goals is one of the most effective tools individuals and institutions can use to achieve success. Making goals SMARTER helps close the gap between vision and reality.

Hillary Hutchinson, M.A., M.Ed., is a certified career coach specialized in helping faculty, administrators and graduate students. Contact her via her website, www.TransitioningYourLife.com.

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