How to set S.M.A.R.T goals

5 Steps to actually following through on the goals you set!

Okay so here’s the deal: even though you may be super into achieving your goals, it isn’t always an easy feat — how often do we write down New Year’s resolutions and simply NOT stick to them? To help you achieve your goals and make this the best year yet, we’re going to intro you to the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting model. Let’s DO THIS.

S — Specific

When setting your goals, be specific. The more specific you are with your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. To make a goal specific, try and answer the following questions: who, what, when, where and why? To give you a better idea of what we mean, an example of a vague goal is: improve my performance in school. A specific goal is: increase my mark in each course by 5%.

M — Measurable

To create a measurable goal, establish exactly what you will see, hear and feel when you reach your goal. By doing this, you’re breaking your goal into measurable elements which can actually be quantified. Like, you can actually TELL if you’ve accomplished them. To help figure out whether or not your goal is measurable, ask yourself: how will I know when my goal is accomplished? If you actually have an answer, it’s measurable:)

A — Attainable

Do you have the resources to make this goal attainable? Do you have enough time, money or talent to make this goal part of your reality? Ask yourself whether or not you’re setting the bar just a bit too high — what’s realistic for you? So in terms of school, saying “I’m going to do 10 hours of math a day,” while ADMIRABLE, is totally unrealistic…since you probably want to eat. And sleep. And like, have a life.

R — Relevant

Before proceeding, it is important to ask yourself whether or not this goal is important to you — do you really care about running a marathon? If your goal is not something that you truly and deeply care about, the chances of you achieving it are much less. Pick a goal that’s important to you, that way you are more likely to stick with it!

T — Timely

The year is long and there is a ton of time within it to achieve your goals. However, if you don’t set deadlines for your goals, there more likely you are to NOT achieve them. No matter how small, deadlines give you something to work towards by helping you to keep up your momentum. Break down your goals into small chunks and actually put deadlines IN a physical calendar so that you can see them approaching! If your goal is to raise your mark by 10%, set a deadline for the first 5%, and another for the remaining 5%. That way you won’t feel like you have to do EVERYTHING at once!