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How to be S.M.A.R.T. with Your Goals - part 1 of 1 2

by Tracey Harper Published 01/08/2011

Tracey Harper shares her dreams

Wish it dream it do it! - has been my motto for years. Many people are fabulous at wishing, some are good at dreaming - but very few are good at the actual doing part.

Goals and dreams form part of all aspects of life - that is what is so fabulous about the whole goal-setting process. Perhaps your dream or goal is to get a storefront studio with staff, or perhaps it is to get into travel photography. The decision is yours.

S is for Specific

You cannot be vague. Being vague is the death of countless dreams and goals.

Let's take the example of your own storefront studio. You have told people, "I have always wanted to open a studio." This statement leaves your goal in the future and is extremely vague.

Instead, take that same example and put it in the present with a positive connotation and say, "I am opening a studio in September 2011 on Elm Street." Now that is specific!

Which of those statements would investors and people in your life take as being more serious? There is a big difference between the two. The 'S' stands for SPECIFIC and your statement should answer the 'specifics' of: who, what, why, where and when.

M is for Measurable

Your specific goal or dream must be measurable. This is so you can track your progress and see where you stand at any point along the journey.

Let's go back to the studio example. You have an opening date of September 2011. Do you have the lease and the exact location picked? How about the contract and getting the studio ready beforehand? The list goes on, but you get the idea.

You can measure whether you are achieving your goal or not. Make a checklist that you can cross off as you complete each objective.

A is for Achievable

This does not mean you have to sell your goal or dream short, but being realistic is advisable. Make sure your goal is challenging enough so that you are stretching yourself outside your comfort zone, but not to the extent that it's not attainable.

For example, if you picked the Studio on Elm Street and that happens to be located in the highest rent district in the city, it may be achievable, but realistically for how long? Is it out of your price range or can you maintain it without killing yourself?

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1st Published 01/08/2011
last update 09/12/2022 14:55:02

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