SMART goal is relatively a new concept. George T. Doran, a consultant and former director of business planning for Washington Water Power Company, presented a document titled “There Is a SMART Method for Writing Management Goals and Objectives” in 1981. He offers SMART goals as a technique for generating metrics that can increase a goal’s probability of accomplishment in the paper.

To assure that your goals are clear and attainable, all should be as follows:

• Specific (simple, sensitive, significant).
• Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
• Attainable (agreed, available).
• Relevant ( realistic and resourceful, results-oriented).
• Time-bound (time-dependent, time-limited, time-limited / cost-limited, timely, time-critical).

According to Professor Rubin, to reflect the significance of efficacy and feedback, the acronym SMART’s meaning has to be revised. Some authors, on the other hand, have widened the definition to include terms like graded and assessed.

The best way to take advantage of SMART

SMART goals are described in detail in Paul J. Meyer’s 2003 book “Attitude is Everything: If you want to be successful beyond that.” We’ll go further into its definitions to discover how to come up with, develop, and attain your goals.

Specific

Unless you have a definite objective in mind, it will be difficult to direct your efforts and keep you motivated to succeed. As you sit down to write out your goal, ask yourself these five “W” questions:

• What am I aiming for?
• What is the significance of achieving this objective?
• Who’s onboard?
• What location was it?
• What are the limitations in terms of resources?

Example

Assume you’re a marketing manager now, and you’d like to further your career. A particular objective may be: “I want to get the abilities and experience required to become a marketing manager in my business so that I can further my career and lead a successful team.”

Measurable

It’s critical to set quantifiable goals so you can monitor your progress and stay inspired. Assessing your progress will assist you in remaining focused, meeting deadlines, and experiencing the thrill of getting closer to your objective.

A quantifiable objective should be able to answer queries such as

• How much does it cost?
• Innumerable?
• How will I know when I’ve accomplished it?

Example

If you want to become a marketing manager, set a five-year objective of completing the necessary courses and gaining the necessary experience.

Attainable

In order to be successful, your objective must be both reasonable and attainable. So it should broaden your horizons while remaining doable.

When you set a realistic goal for yourself, it’s easier to see previously unnoticed chances or resources that will help you get there.

An attainable objective generally provides solutions to concerns like:

• How can I reach this goal?
• What additional constraints, such as financial ones, must be considered while evaluating the feasibility of the goal?

Example

There’s a chance you’ll have to decide whether or not your current experience and qualifications allow you to acquire the abilities necessary to become a marketing manager. Do you, for example, have the time to finish the needed training? Do you own the required tools? Is it something you can afford?

Relevant

This phase ensures that your goal is essential to you and that it is also in line with other key goals. All of us require assistance and support in order to reach our goals. However, maintaining control is crucial. As a result, be certain that your plans advance everyone while still holding yourself accountable for reaching your own goals.

These questions may be answered with a resounding “yes” if your aim is relevant:

• Does this goal is of any help to you in any way?
• Is it appropriate to build this up now?
• Whether this goal is in line with our other endeavors?
• Is it possible for me to achieve this goal?
• It is still relevant in today’s economic and social climate?

Example

Is this the right moment to obtain the training you need to become a marketing manager or should you wait? Which of the Marketing Director positions do you want? Have you given any consideration to the goals of your partner? For instance, would start a family makes it impossible for you to finish the training in your spare time?

Limited in time

Every goal needs a timeframe in order to help you stay on track and stay productive. This element of the SMART Goal Criteria prevents daily activities from taking precedence over long-term goals.

With a timed goal, you can generally address the following questions:

• When?
• What can I do in the next six months?
• What can I do in six weeks?
• For illustration purposes, what can I do right now?

As previously said, being a marketing manager may need more experience or training. How long do you think it will take you to master these techniques? Do you require extensive training in order to sit for certain examinations or achieve certain levels of certification? In order to accomplish your ultimate objective, it is necessary to set realistic time goals for yourself.

Setting Goals is really important but side by side you must take care that those goals which you have set for yourself must be SMART.