What Are S.M.A.R.T Goals And Why Do We Need Them?
So, what are S.M.A.R.T goals? Let us break it down for you!
We all know that to grow everyone needs to set targets for themselves to work towards. Without targets and ambition, you likely have no direction. Therefore, it becomes easy to move around in circles instead of leveling up. This is why goals are such an important part of any business plan, as they provide a pathway to success. Good goals also act as a source of motivation, something you strive to achieve. But what makes a “good” goal? One tool we like to use for determining how practical a potential goal is, is the S.M.A.R.T goal model.
S – Specific
It is important when setting goals that your goals clearly define what you plan to accomplish. A good way to check if your goal is specific enough is to ask yourself the 5 Ws: who, what, where, why, and when.
- Who: Who will be involved when working towards the achievement of this goal? For example, considering if this is a team or individual project.
- What: The details of what specifically your goal aims to achieve.
- Where: If it is relevant, does a location need to be specified? For example, if your organisation extends to multiple locations.
- Why: What is the reason for this goal?
- When: What does the timeframe for this goal look like?
M – Measurable
A good goal should be associated with some type of metric. This ensures it is measurable, which helps with determining whether it has been achieved. This means deciding on a specific metric and what your target goal might look like. This is a sure-fire way to guarantee you have accomplished a goal before ticking it off and moving onto the next one!
A – Attainable
It’s all very well trying to stretch yourself further, that’s what goals are for right? But it is important to remember when setting your goals that they are not unrealistic. How many times have you found yourself setting unrealistic goals only to give up on them? This not only doesn’t move you any further along your journey of evolution, but it can cause you to feel unmotivated. This is why it is so crucial that the goals you set are achievable. This aspect can be associated with any part of your goal, such as scope, budget, or timeframe.
R – Relevant
When setting any goal, you need to consider how achieving it will contribute to the big picture. For example, if your big goal is to generate more sales you might set social media goals focused on increasing traffic to your website. Or, if your business goal is to expand your business across the country, your social media goals might be to increase brand awareness.
T- Timely
Lastly, a good goal includes a time frame. By creating a goal that has a time-constraint, you are more likely to find the motivation to complete your goal before the set deadline. If you are setting a big goal, mini milestones and deadlines are important to consider. This gives you a specific date to work towards.
It is important remember that your goals need to grow with you. Once you achieve your first goal, move onto the second one! Ensure you are constantly evolving your goals so you and your business can reach new heights. Now you have all the tools you need to set S.M.A.R.T goals. We can’t wait to see you achieve them!
