Tips on Tuesday: SMART Goal Setting

I was recently reminded that it’s “that time of year”. You know what I mean---Goal Setting Season (or actually, it's Goal Up-Dating Season for me). I have a twice annual goal setting session. When back-to-school time rolls around, I set my annual goals for my home, my personal life and my spiritual life. Now that school is almost out, I like to reassess and redefine, or tweak, my goals. I know priorities change over summer vacation so I try to account for that in my goals.

I’ve learned that without a goal, I’ll never arrive. I'll keep heading in a direction but never know if I've made it. I’ve learned even if I have a goal that I miss, it gets me closer to where I want to be in life than not setting any goals at all. Many people do New Year’s Resolutions, but those don’t work for me. I find running with the school year makes it easier to achieve---and New Year’s is a midpoint to check and see how I’m doing with my goals.

You should always make a “S.M.A.R.T.” goal. S—Specific, M—Measurable, A—Achievable, R—Realistic, T—Timely or Tangible. Another key element is to write your goals down. Seeing them on paper makes you much more likely to achieve them. My goals are a little briefer in scope each year. For the summer months, I have to redefine or even drop some of my goals. I will continue trying to trash or donate at least one box a month out of our home, I will continue to work on daily devotions. However, I know that my exercise goal is usually not achievable in the summer. I modify my goal to move instead of working out. I'll go back to working out when school starts in the fall.

So, here we are with another school year about to end. Where are you at in your life? Did you accomplish anything you set out to do this school year? Do you know where you want to go? Set a goal or two and see how it changes your life!

This poster says:

GOALS--To get started, you must have a destination.