To put it bluntly, hardly any one knows. Clients come to me every week with amazing ideas and all of the right intentions and motivations. But still, they come to me. They come because their goals aren’t getting traction. Our conversation goes something like this:
Me: “What is it that I can support you around today?”
Client: “I want to be healthy,” “I want a better job,” “I want a good marriage”, etc.
Me: “That is a beautiful goal, but it’s not SMART.”
Client: “*/?%*?
Me: “Let me explain…..”
A goal is one thing. But a SMART goal is something else entirely. A SMART goal is a sharp, one-sentence statement of intent. It is a statement that as a coach, I rely on for my work mandate. And as a client, it is a laser-sharp focal point to keep you on track. Once you develop the skill of making goals SMART, you are well on your way to building the life you want.
To make a SMART goal, you first have to identify the touchpoints. A SMART goal is Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-specific. I can’t think of a coaching scenario in which these qualities are not useful in forming actionable goals. Let’s go through them one-by-one.
Specific – If you are seeking a better job, you will be reaching around wildly in your mind and actions trying to attain this nebulous thing. Instead say “I want to reach the C-Suite in a company that builds sustainable energy collectors ” or “I want to be manager of a local boutique hotel”. Your SMART goal needs to nail down exactly what it is you are seeking, as narrowly as possible.
Measurable – If you are trying to get healthy, it is likely that you can’t decide on an action plan. Now try this on “I want to be able to lift my grandkids out of the pool” or “I want to lose 40 pounds” or “I would like my A1C numbers to be below 5.6%”
Attainable – This is important. Don’t set unreasonable goals for yourself. You can have big big dreams but make sure you marry them with reality. An example of an unattainable goal might be “start an Instagram account and have 100,000 followers in two weeks”. I’m not saying this has never happened, I’m just saying give yourself a framework in which you can succeed, then surprise yourself by beating your goals!
Relevant – Is it relevant to you? Is this goal something you care about enough to make it a priority? You won't get far if you aren't motivated. Drilling down to your "hard why" will help you understand its relevance in your life. You can read more about Hard Whys on my blog here.
Time-Specific – This last one is vital to goal setting. Without a time stamp on your efforts, your goal might turn into an endless road that never, ever ends.
So a finished SMART goal might look like this :
“I will lose 40 pounds in the next 8 months”
This goal assumes that you are in a healthy body that can stand to lose that weight and you have access to the things you need : exercise equipment, healthy food choices, etc. It also assumes that it matters to you.
“I will reach the C-Suite in a sustainable energy company by the time I am 45”
This goals assumes you are either in your early forties and are fairly close to having this job title or you are a bit younger and will have time to get the training and experience necessary to attain this job in the stated time-frame. It also assumes that this job matters to you.
ONE MORE THING! Something that is not included in a SMART goal is ACCOUNTABILITY! Who is going to hold you to task and and support you while you attack your SMART goal? If you are anything like my clients….or me….you need to find yourself an accountability partner to really make this goal your reality.
Comments