Goal Setting: Ten Reasons Why Your SMART Goals May Not Be So Smart

Success Strategies

One habit separates the top 5% of competitors who win in life from the other 95% who just play: Goal setting. No surprises there. That is common knowledge.

But what about the 5% of us who DO set goals? The 5% of us who DO understand the importance of setting ‘proper’ SMART goals, goals that are properly written down, with a deadline, all neatly in accordance with the SMARTER principles of goal setting? The goals we have that are Specific, we can Measure them, we truly believe they are Realistic and we have given ourselves a realistic Time Frame for their achievement. Yet still, no matter what our level of passion, desire or committment, these goals continue to allude us. They remain just that. Goals. Goals written down in our diaries, pinned up on our vision boards but very definitely goals not yet present in our lives. What about those goals? Have you had any of those??  Are you at a loss as to WHY these goals do not seem to be working for you at the moment, or, more specifically, what else it is that you need to do in order to achieve those goals? If so,  then I am going to highly recommend that you read a most amazing book that I recently discovered:  ‘With Winning In Mind – An Olympic Champion’s Success System’, written by Lanny Bassham, 3 X World Champion & Olympic Gold Medallist. (No commission in it for me, sorry). In my eyes, any book that starts: “Most people do not read introductions because most introductions are too darn long. So I made this one short…” has to be worth an afternoon of your time. In it, Lanny explains his approach to goal setting,  and outlines his 10 point ‘Mental Management Goal-Setting System’.

When you read it, you may have an ‘aha’ moment, similar to the one that I did. Let me outline that system briefly for you here, and maybe you will begin to  understand the missing steps to your success …. the reasons why some of your goals may not have been quite as SMART as you thought they were.

Step Number 1:  Decide Exactly What You Want - Find goals that excite and ignite you. This ties in very nicely with our Specific SMART goals.

Step Number 2:  Decide When You Want It – yep, Time Frame, we already understand that one too.

“A goal without a deadline is merely a wish”

Step Number 3:  List The Pay Value. This is interesting. The goal has to be exciting to you and it has to be personal to you. What is the personal value to you?  If the return on your investment is not high enough, you will simply not be prepared to invest the sweat equity required to realise your goal.

Step Number 4: Determine The Obstacles In Your Way. This is key. You must determine  the reasons why you are currently unable to meet your goal.  What must you do to reach your goal? What habits and attitudes must you change? Remember, nothing is going to get better until YOU get better. Nothing is going to change unless YOU change. Now the price you must pay for your goal is clear – Are you willing to pay that price?

Step Number 5:  What Is Your Plan To Get Your Goal?  Aside from a deadline, the other difference between a wish and a goal is that a goal has a written plan. Having identified the reasons why you are currently unable to meet your goal in Step 4, you must now prepare a written plan to overcome each obstacle. Are you prepared to do what it takes?

Step Number 6:  Ask Some Important Questions. “Is the Prize worth the Price?” “Is the pay-value worth the price I have to pay for it?” If not then something needs to change. Either the goal, the time limit or the plan. Now we are beginning to get to the nitty gritty of why it is that some goals always seem to remain just outside of our grasp. Decide this at the outset. Don’t get half way through your goal and then quit.

Step Number 7:  Schedule Your Plan. Break your goal down into the day-to-day things that you need to accomplish, and write those things into your diary. If your goal is not scheduled as part of your day, it will not get done.

Step Number 8:  Start Now. Fairly obvious, but how many times have we scheduled things to start tomorrow?

Step Number 9:  Never Reach  A Goal Without First Setting Another One. - Goals are what drive us. They keep us hungry. A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder, directionless and adrift.

Step Number 10:  Never, Never Quit!

So there you have it. Some insights to help you set your goals and keep them on track to success. highly recommend you read (and implement!) the strategies in this book.

Good luck with your goal setting and good luck with your goals!

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