You’ve probably all had to do this exercise in your work life at some point, but as we’re planning, logging and cross checking, make each goal:
Specific:
Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish? Where will this happen? When will this happen? Why should this happen?
Measureable:
If your goal is to get in shape, perhaps a method of measuring your progress would be to track how many pushups you can do in one session.
Achievable:
When setting your goal, ask yourself if there is anything outside of your realm of influence that could stand in the way. For example, if your goal is to have the members of your soccer team be able to do 50 pushups in a minute, you'll need to make sure your team is committed to the goal. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time making it happen.
Repeatable:
Set goals that you are able and willing to work toward. While you should always set goals that will challenge you to be better, it's important to take a realistic approach.
Timed:
Give yourself a time frame for accomplishing your goal. Without a time frame tied to your goal, there isn't a sense of urgency and you'll be less motivated to make it happen.
And remember that as time goes on, your goals are constantly changing and evolving.
The end result may not look anything like what you initially set out to do; however, this can sometimes be a good thing. In order to learn from your mistakes and assist you next time, constantly assess your progress throughout your goal-setting journey.