SERIES: Setting Goals – Part Three
Welcome to another series on JosephSangl.com – Setting Goals
I am passionate about helping others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances. I know that the number one way that folks will win with their personal finances is to have a well-written plan and clearly defined goals.
Part Three Establish SMART Goals
I do not know who invented the acrostic SMART for goal setting, but I have found it invaluable for setting my own goals.
Specific
If your goals are not specific, they are worthless. "Teach people" is not specific enough!
Measurable
What gets measured gets done. If you can not measure it, how on earth can you know whether or not you are accomplishing the goal. "Make the presentation pretty" will not work. I can not measure pretty.
Attainable
Teach 5.1 billion about personal finances by October 2011 is certainly possible, but it is not probable.
Relevant
Teaching people about hairstyles is not relevant to the crusade!
Timebound
"Teach 100,000 people" is not timebound. It needs to have a specific goal date in which it will be accomplished.
It needs to be SMART. "Teach 100,000 people by October 2011." is SMART. It is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound. Perfect.
Go brainstorm several goals for the next year. Then go read Part Four.
Joe,
Although the exact origin of this term is unknown, management guru Peter Drucker is credited with creating a similar system in his 1954 book “The Practice of Management”.