3 Steps to SMART Goal Writing

Effective goal writing is a science:

• Start with SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.)
• Affirm
• Use the right words

SPECIFIC

Right after New Year’s Day, one of my students told me that she was going to lose some weight this year. She became puzzled when I asked her how much was “some” and when this year?

Making your goals specific holds you accountable.

Wishy-washy goals give you a weak magnet that you will not be attracted to.

If you cannot hold yourself accountable, you are not serious about these goals.

The more specific your goals, the faster you will travel toward them.

MEASURABLE

In order to hold yourself accountable, you must be able to measure your progress. You must be able to say either “I did it” or “I didn’t do it.”

In the case of weight loss, you can easily set a goal of a certain number of pounds by a certain date.

ATTAINABLE

What is attainable? I tell my students if anyone else has accomplished this goal, then you can as well.

Can you lose 100 pounds in a week? Not only is this unattainable, you will create a serious health risk in so doing.

Make your goals close enough for you to see but far enough to create a stretch. Stretching creates growth but a goal that you feel cannot be attained will create frustration. Maybe a better goal would be to lose 10 pounds the first week or stretch it to 15.

REALISTIC

What is realistic? Realistic is anything you can see yourself accomplishing.

You are limited only by the laws of physics and more so your own belief in yourself.

Once you set goals, you will engage in a wrestling match with your creative subconscious. Remember, it wants to maintain your sanity; it wants you to remain exactly as you are. Control it or it will control you.

TIMELY

You must place a deadline on your goals. Give yourself a time that you must accomplish this goal. Hold yourself accountable.

Once you create a goal, break it into bite-sized chunks. Create a long-term plan (say  10 years) and then break it into what needs to be accomplished in 5 years, 1 year, next month and next week.

Write your long-term and short term goals down and track your progress.

Affirm often

The more often you read your goals, the faster the change.

Words to use

Goals should always be written in first person, present tense. This creates a conflict in your mind between current reality and your version of the TRUTH.

Goals should always create a mental picture, the stronger the emotion and the picture, the faster your will move toward the goal. Once the mental picture changes, your behavior will change.

Post your goals where you can see them. Keep them confidential to avoid others putting unnecessary pressure on you.

You create the future before it happens. Operating in the creative realm, you can do this with ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE.

Goals must be personal – you must see yourself, not someone else doing it. Never compare yourself to others. That is the competitive realm, we operate in the creative realm.

Goals must be in the present tense.

Goals must be positive. Remove the NOTs and rewrite them for what you are.

• I am…
• I have…
• It is easy for me…

Attack your goals like a child opening a birthday gift and enjoy the future you create.

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• Health and Fitness Goal Setting (laurenceguideblog.wordpress.com)
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST:

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In honor of Black History Month, I will share with you the list of the 21 African-Americans who influenced me the most in addition to my regular blog posts.

The first person to guess who #1 will be will receive a FREE Purpose Driven Woman Boot Camp courtesy of Taquila Coleman (a $47 value.) Simply post your guess in the comments section. Include your Facebook page, web page or twitter name and I will give you a shout out – right or wrong.

16. Oprah Winfrey

17. Paul Laurence Dunbar

18. Maya Angelou

19. Langston Hughes

20. Nikki Giovanni

21. Marian Anderson

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE #1?