For the next five weeks, I am going to do a series on how to create SMART goals. Each week I will talk about a specific aspect of what should be included in SMART Goals.
Last week we made sure our SMART Goal were Measurable. This week we are going to make certain our goal is Attainable.
“A” is for Attainable
As a course designer, I have to tell you, I get a little geeky about the fact that in SMART Goals there is a natural break in the middle of setting a goal to evaluate the process to make sure everything on track.
Being someone who used the SMART Goal concept long before I even knew what they were, I always made an effort to evaluate my goals as I wrote them to make sure I wasn’t setting myself up for failure.
What does it mean for a goal to be attainable? To determine if a goal is attainable you have to evaluate the goal, specifically against your measurements to see if there are actually achievable.
Questions to ask?
- Is my goal realistic, but not too conservative? If the goal is too easy then is it really something to be attained? It’s ok to think big as long as the goal is measurable and you believe it is attainable
- Do I believe the goal is possible? If even I don’t believe it, then it will likely never happen. This one is hard for so many people— including myself.
- Does my goal rely on someone else? If the power of completing the goal relies on others, then consider revamping it. (i.e. getting a raise or promotion) If the other people are on board, then continue moving forward in the process.
- Does the measurement include figures that become unrealistic for a long-term goal? (i.e. increasing customers/revenue by 20% every month. While this is realistic when the number is at 100 or possibly even 500, is it realistic at 1,000 or 10,000?) This is particularly important if you are setting goals for the year.
Now that we have gone over what to include to determine if your goal attainable, it’s time to get started. And remember, right now we are laying the groundwork for the free email course I am doing this summer.
