Goal setting is a great thing, however, when doing this, you need to Create S.M.A.R.T. Goals…

To be successful in life you need ambition, purpose and goals…

Many people fail at achieving their objectives or goals because they go about it the wrong way. They fail to create S.M.A.R.T. goals.

What I mean by S.M.A.R.T. goals is broken down in the acronym below:

• Specific – When choosing a goal, you must be specific and concentrate on one main objective. Good example: Produce a 10% sales increase of product X by December 31, 2011 (a specific date). Bad example: increase product sales. Zero in on exactly what you plan to do. Even when striving for one goal you must break down the processes of that goal into baby steps. Then create deadlines for each of the steps so you can stay on track and meet your ultimate deadline.

• Measurable – You should have some way to determine that you actually accomplished your goal. This is why in step 1 above the specific amount of a 10% sales increase of product X was used. Now that you’ve committed to a specific, measurable amount of increase, you will be reminded of how close you are to your target.

• Achievable – A SMART goal will be a goal that you can achieve. If you’re a runner and can only run 1 mile, don’t set your next goal to run a 26 mile marathon, choose something that’s possible, like running 5 miles within the next 30 days. Stretch yourself when planning goals, but make sure they’re achievable.

• Relevant – The goal needs to pertain directly to whatever operation is being confronted. It needs to fit in the grand scheme of your overall vision or mission. If you work in a department whose mission is to phase out obsolete, unsupported products, then your goal should not be to find new customers for those products.

• Time-Bound – Goals must have a definite start and stop time. If no time-frame for completing the goal is given, then one tends to loose the sense of urgency or commitment to finish what they started. If your completion deadline is one of these days, then don’t be surprised if you never meet it. You must set a deadline. When you do, your subconscious mind will be working on the goal until you reach it.

Many companies and organizations use S.M.A.R.T. goal setting for their employees. In doing so, it helps ensure that the many operations and divisions of the company work in concert to produce the overall mission of the company. The S.M.A.R.T.  goal method is also a wise and simple practice to implement in our personal lives and even in a home based business.