Set SMART GOALS the right way

They say that for a man who does not know what his destiny is, any wind is good. The truth is that most people have desires, and therefore, they set goals, goals, or purposes. Many people, for example, set new year goals. However, most of the goals we set for ourselves come to nothing. How to set goals intelligently and effectively? The SMART criterion (actually an acronym: SMART) can help us.

The word SMART means “smart” in English, and it has also become famous for a brand of cars focused on urban use, created between the companies Swatch and Mercedes-Benz. But we are not going to talk here about “wake up” or about “small but expensive” cars.

Apparently, the SMART concept was first described in 1981, by George T. Duran, Director of Planning for the Washington Water Company.

SMART is an acronym in which each letter gives us a requirement for a goal to be as effective as possible.

In addition, there are different variations -according to the author on duty- to the corresponding words in English, as well as their translations. However, this is not important. What we are interested in knowing, above all, is the concept and how to put it into practice.

Let’s see each of the letters and how we can apply it to set SMART Goals:

S: Specific

They say that whoever points to nothing, always hits. But that is not what we want when setting SMART goals, is it?

For an objective to be achieved, it must be defined. It is not only to give it a title and know the subject (what is it about) but to specify exactly what it is that you want to achieve.

A simple example is to lose weight. Ok, you want to lose weight, but how much weight? in how much time?

The key questions here are what? Why? How? When? Where?

In the event that the objective depends on more people than you, the question should be added: Who? and whom?

M: Measurable

During the period of time that is established, it is necessary to follow up to establish objectively whether we are meeting our objective. And for that, it will take a measurement.

In the previous example of losing weight, if we have said that we want to reduce our weight by 20kgs in a month, we should check weekly or daily if we are achieving it.

For this, it will be necessary to use a metric (in this case, the kilos), and also a meter (a scale). Be careful with the tool that we use to measure, because this must be exact since an incorrect measurement could cheer us up or discourage us and destroy the work done. Also, if we do not measure correctly, we will not be able to make adjustments to achieve the objective.

Speaking of measurements, in EfectiVida, we have developed a formula that will help you know if a goal is really efficient and effective, and above all, if it makes you happy.

A: Attainable

A sincere and honest reflection with oneself is necessary to decide if the objective is something possible, or true nonsense. It is not easy to reach objective conclusions by oneself, so external help could be useful here.

Look for information about it, which is of quality, of course. Consult people who have set similar goals. Ask your friends or family about it. But do not fall into the error of letting yourself be carried away by subjective and unfounded opinions. What you have to locate is data. How long did someone else get it? How much effort did it take? Am I willing to do the same? Etc.

Continuing with the same example, losing weight is probably achievable in most cases. However, if you try to imitate what is on TV, and you let yourself be carried away by the star recipes of the internet and by the misleading news on the subject, you will be disappointed.

R: Result-oriented

An interesting variation of the letter R is Realistic, with a simple translation: realistic. However, it seems to blend in a bit with the previous point, and may not correctly define this part of the SMART goals criterion.

Another option that I like the most is Relevant, but I don’t think it explains the concept well either. That is why I have put in the subtitle: Results-oriented. That is, setting the goal in a positive way and relating it to your life purposes.

When setting a goal, it is important to establish what and why. Most people skip these two questions and go straight to how. However, of all the factors involved, perhaps why is the most important.

Let’s continue with the same example. Do you want to lose weight? Why? Is it a health issue? Is it for aesthetics? Do you have any other goals that require you to make the effort to lose weight, such as running a marathon or being given a role in a movie? The objective must be oriented to that why.

It is important to highlight the result is positive. We recently discussed the influence of the word “no” on our brains in a chapter of the podcast, titled “ Don’t Think of a White Bear.” The point is that saying “I want to lose weight so I don’t suffocate” is not the same as saying “I want to lose weight to improve my breathing.”

It seems silly, but it is proven that proposing a positive goal helps to achieve it.

T: Time-limited (Execution deadline)

Here we also find a variation: Time-bound. It means limited in time. I think, anyway, that the t is easy to remember: TIME

A target must have a deadline. This point is essential because if there is no deadline, it does not matter if it has been done or not, and therefore, our brain will understand that it is not necessary to strive to achieve anything.

Probably not setting a deadline is one of the reasons why the New Year’s goals fall asleep.

On the other hand, although it is obvious, it is important to also establish a start date. It is possible that your project does not depend only on you, or that you need to acquire tools or skills before starting.

In the example of losing weight, you may be thinking of going to a gym. Even if you set a deadline, it will not help you if you do not plan ahead to decide which gym you will go to, what clothes you will buy, etc.