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.
Goals must be SMART:
1. S—specific–A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. 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-Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring our progress.
3. A--must be achievable / attainable–When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.. 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.
4. R—realistic-To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress. A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic.
5. T—time-bound-A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal. There should be a starting date and a finishing date.
Ballin' with Barber 