With 2017 upon us, it’s now time to sharpen those pencils (or get your typing fingers ready) and sit down for a good old goal planning session. But not just ANY goal planning session… a 'S-M-A-R-T' goal planning session...
Have you heard of SMART goals before? There are a few variations of the acronym floating around, but our favourite here at Coaching Out of the Box® is this one:
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T – Timely
In a nutshell, creating smart goals means digging deeper into each one to make sure you have a plan of attack for achieving them. Instead of saying for example ‘I will eat healthier this year’ (which is of course quite broad), you might say ‘I will achieve a healthier diet by incorporating 2 vegetable snacks to my daily routine’.
To break down creating a smart goal even further, here are some points for each letter in the SMART acronym:
S – Specific
*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
M - Measurable
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
A – Attainable
“Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them”
R – Realistic
To make your goal realistic, make sure it’s one you’re both willing and able to work on!
T – Timely
Create a timeframe and a deadline for your goal, and ensure it fits with what you’re trying to accomplish. A sense of urgency is fabulous for achieving goals – it keeps you on your toes!
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One of the most popular goals we see posted online or talked about as we enter a new year seems to be for individuals and companies or organizations to create stronger leaders. At Coaching Out of the Box®, we believe that EVERYONE should have coaching skills – just imagine what that could do for your company, business, or even personal life!
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We want to hear from you! What is your 2017 goal? Comment on this blog post or any of our social media channels so we can follow along with you! If you had to pick ONE goal, turn it into a smart goal and share it with us – we can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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Happy New Year and Happy Smart Goal Planning from Coaching Out of the Box®
Oh and P.S. - we have a coupon for $200 off if you register by Jan 16th! Use code 200_OFFW17 at checkout.
