MJ Gonzales │ExecutiveChronicles.com
Whether to establish business or experience work-life balance, career planning is essential to make any of that happens in the near future. But apparently, setting short and long term goals are not enough to achieve your dream. According to career experts, what really works is the SMART goal-setting that enables you to clearly identify your aims and how to make them doable. How can you create your own path by using SMART Goal-setting?
SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Each of this is very important and should be combined.
“I recommend that you focus on both substance and process of your goals. I believe that both are equally important: by setting a high-quality SMART goal you will enable yourself to be conscious and your actions will carry more meaning; meanwhile, it is the execution of the SMART goals strategy that separates achievers from the rest of the people,” Anna Stevens, author and entrepreneur, shared in her book “Turn Your Dreams and Wants into Achievable SMART Goals!”
Specific – Bigger or expensive dreams are attainable than smaller ones if you specifically know what you want. Instead of aiming to get better compensation package soon, set particular a salary bracket you want to earn within one or three years. The broader your aims are, the harder they get because you can’t set the exact targets to beat or actions to make. So if you want a car, think of particular brand, model unit and features.
Measurable – After identifying the particular mission you want to fulfill, set target figures and deadlines to track your progress. If it’s about weight, think of pounds you like to shed. If it’s about sales, define a certain rate you like to meet and why?
It is also possible that changes happen in the midst of doing your projects. Even in that circumstance, your measures can help you to track if you need to double time your effort or involve additional persons in your project.
Attainable – All people have wishes, but only few make their wishes come true simply because they’re committed. Let’s say you like to put up a food cart business that’s worth Php 500, 000. If your take- home pay is Php 30,000 and you’re the bread winner in the family, how can you achieve that investment? Perhaps, you can take smaller steps like getting a freelancing job and stay away from gimmicks for straight six months.
Besides commitment, you should also be realistic in your approaches. Don’t set overwhelming steps that too forceful as they don’t only work, but also frustrate you.
Relevant – Apart from being practical, it is also advisable to choose the goal that has relevance in you. Ideally, you should pursue something that you believe in, skilled to do, and close with your values. Will you agree to handle an account that makes you’re a manager, but you’re not passionate to do?
Time- bound – Work deadlines motivate people to wake early in the morning and to start their tasks right away. It is also true in goal-setting because a dream without time-frame makes it a distant and expiring idea.
