Dr. Peter Kim has discovered that setting SMART goals leads to a higher success rate for him. What are these SMART goals? They’re not just intelligent, but contain key characteristics that are defined by the acronym.
Setting goals is important because it gives us a basic direction to start in. It helps us figure out how to best use our current resources, find out what resources we need, and how to use our time/energy appropriately.
The more specific your goal, the more likely it is that you’ll achieve it.
This goes hand-in-hand with the idea of specificity. If a goal is specific, there will very likely be ways to measure or track your progress.
It helps to listen to stories of others who have achieved what you want to achieve. This will help you see where the realistic range is.
I think we should all be striving toward goals that make us uncomfortable to set. In fact, if it makes you uncomfortable to voice it to your friend or partner . . . well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Without a timeline, that specific goal of yours can be put off and put off, until you get discouraged by your lack of progress. Nothing kills motivation faster.