SMART Goals for 2015
Good goals are SMART goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym, and, depending on who you ask, it stands for slightly different things.
- Specific, measurable, action-oriented (or actionable), relevant, and time-bound.
- Specific, measurable, applicable (meaning that it’s your goal and not one someone else has for you), results-oriented and time-bound.
There may be other words used, but these are the ones I’ve seen repeatedly to delineate what SMART goals are.
No matter what word you choose for some of the letters in S.M.A.R.T., a goal should be a statement that starts with the word “I” then has a present-tense active verb (own, read, decide, find, develop, create, do), a specific result (12 books, $5,000, etc.), and a date by which it is to be completed.
It has to be objectively measurable, meaning that some other person could look at your goal, look at your results, and say, “Yes, you did this,” or “No, you missed the mark.”
Subjective goals are not SMART goals
It’s tempting to make goals subjective, which means that only you would be able to say whether or not it was achieved. Resist the temptation. It only cheats you, because what is a person going to be inclined to do? Why, a person is going to say, “Um, yeah, I achieved that goal…” It’s only human. But if we set it up so that we can’t do that, then, well, we can’t do that. It’s that simple. Writing a goal so that it is a SMART goal prevents that problem.
Sometimes it is hard to word a goal so that it fits these criteria. Reword it until you get there. I have been writing goals in this way for so long, I don’t know if I can give an example of the wrong way to do it, but I’ll try.
Examples of bad goals
I love my life. (This is not objectively measurable, not actionable, and not time-bound.) It’s a great thing to be able to say, but it’s not a goal.
I earn enough money this year. (This is not specific or objectively measurable. How much is “enough?”)
Make sure your goals meet the criteria for SMART goals. It may take a little practice to learn to word them right, but once it’s a habit, you can write your goals for the year in half an hour to an hour. That’s how long it takes me each December 31st. I’ll share this year’s goals with you, even though this is scary.
My SMART goals for 2015
I don’t write or ogranize my goals by type. I just write them in whatever order they come to my mind. Group yours by area of life if you want to (spiritual, health, career, family, finances, hobbies, for example), to make sure you cover every important area.
I worship at home at least five days a week during 2015.
I earn $50,000 by December 31, 2015.
I publish six books by December 31, 2015.
I edit 12 books by December 31, 2015.
I get up at 4:00 a.m. local time, every day of this year.
I write 730,000 words by December 31, 2015.
I write every day and produce an average of 2,000 words a day.
I attend church at least twice a month during 2015.
I paint or do some other art or craft for an hour each week, for the enjoyment and relaxation (recreation), not the product.
I take one action toward cultivating my relationship with each of my family members daily, and one action toward cultivating each of 50 business relationships each month during 2015. This means setting up a contact management system of some kind, by January 5, 2015. ABC the list?
I exercise 260 times in 2015. This is an average of five days a week. A workout consists of one mile or 15 minutes of aerobic exercise or three minutes of anaerobic exercise.
I weigh 175 or am pronounced “in good shape” by my doctor by May 1, 2015. (A word about weight-loss goals: list your desired weight, not number of pounds you want to lose. Why? Because if you say, “I lose 20 pounds by May 1, 2015” then you may lose five pounds, gain them back, lose five pounds, gain them back…you will have lost a total of 20 pounds by that date, but it might be the same five pounds over and over! So it’s much better to state how much you will weigh in your goal. The human brain can be very tricky! Outsmart it.)
My hemoglobin A1C is 7 or lower, by March 1, 2015. This means checking my blood sugar three times a day and taking all of my insulin shots on time, and possibly decreasing carb or overall food intake.
I read for an hour a day every day during 2015. The only allowable exception is if I’m too ill to read that day. Too busy does not count. There is no such thing as too busy to feed the mind.
I read at least one book a week during 2015, take notes on it, and apply what I’ve learned.
I do what I say I will do, 95% of the time, by February 1, 2015. This means saying “no” much more.
I make 365 sales calls during 2015.
I make 1,300 acts of promotion during 2015. That is an average of twenty-five promotion actions per week.
I spend at least 15 minutes each day with each of my children.
I consciously and deliberately make decisions about my life by setting aside 15 minutes every morning to plan and make decisions. In this way, I cultivate good things and eliminate bad ones.
I attend some form of Mastermind group at least once a month during 2015.
I invest in my business and growth monthly (Platform University, Free Agent Academy, 48Days.net, AWeber, books, etc.).
I obtain a third P. A. C. E. client by January 31, 2015.
My passive income is at least $5,000 a month by November 1, 2015.
I own a Kitchen Aid or Hobart mixer by June 1, 2015.
I have an up-to-code kitchen sink by March 15, 2015.
I install our clothes-washing machine by March 15, 2015.
I have a working automatic dishwasher by May 15, 2015.
I give thanks to God every day for something or someone in my life.
I thank at least one person, daily, during 2015.
I teach my children the principles of success by sharing with them verbally and visually (they see my actions, which tell them more than my words ever could).
I give my husband attention daily and encourage him in his efforts, whatever they may be.
I invest in my children by ensuring that they are at or above grade level in core subjects by March 1, 2015.
I soak in a hottub or water spa by April 15, 2015. (I wrote hottub as one word, so my brain can’t interpret “hot tub” to mean a warmer-than-average bath. Oh, no, I mean the large, multi-person luxury container.)
What are your SMART goals for 2015? Share the ones that excite you the most in the comments.