Smart goals aren’t the same as your regular, run-of-the-mill goals. You don’t just say your goal is to become a successful businessperson someday. That’s just some generic goal. It’s what most people would say. Chances are those people aren’t any closer to achieving their generic goals, too. So, what do you do? You start out by actually taking the time to define your goals. Smart goals don’t take 5 seconds to create. Smart goals require you to go deep within yourself, to uncover what you really want. To begin with, your smart goal should meet the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. It means the following: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-sensitive
Based on these criteria, you can see right away that a simple goal of becoming a ‘successful businessperson someday’ is not going to cut it. If you want to become a successful businessperson someday, you need to refine your goals to fit the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. You can ask questions like these: What kind of business would you like? Do you want to create your business from scratch? Should you buy a franchise? What industry do you want to do business in? Do you have sufficient capital to fund your business?
If no, how do you plan to acquire capital? What’s your timeline for your goal? Three years? Ten? As you can see, defining a SMART goal isn’t going to be easy like your random generic goal. You’ll need to write your thoughts and weigh your options. What are the pros and cons of every option you’re considering? Yes, your SMART goal will make you flex your brain cells. But ultimately, it’s the right – and only – thing to do. With a SMART goal, you’re eliminating much of the guesswork. You won’t be second-guessing yourself all the time, which only slows you down. You already know what you want.
All you have to do next is to make sure you don’t ever forget your SMART goal. You can start by writing it down in your journal. You can print out several copies of your goal and then tape it or hang it somewhere you’ll see it frequently. A SMART goal will help you reach your goals more efficiently and more effectively. Yes, you’ll still need to navigate the murky and scary unknown that lies beyond your comfort zone. But now, you’ll be prepared and better equipped.