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As Alexander Graham Bell said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” It is high time to prepare for the next year. SMART goal setting is one of the ways to do this. Creating motivating goals to achieve within the specific period can be an effective method for short-term and long-term planning. However, the question is whether it suits anyone or not.
What Is SMART Goal Setting?
Generally, most studies decipher SMART goals as follows:
specific,
measurable,
achievable,
realistic,
timely (Chan et al., 2018).
However, it is possible to find simple for S, motivating for M, actionable for A, reasonable for R, and trackable for T.
SMART vs. Open and Do-Your-Best Goals
Despite all these variations, SMART goals give a specific direction in which to move to be in the planned place and at the planned time.
On the other hand, according to the research by Chan et al. (2018), SMART goals appear to be less challenging. It means that achieving them puts less preasure.
Nevertheless, such goals make it easier to develop a habit if they are realistic and achievable rather than challenging and burdensome. In contrast, trying to achieve do-your-best (DYB) goals can lead to burnout in the long-term. The reason is constant pressure of exerting as much effort as possible.
A good alternative is open goals where you see how much or how well you can do.
How to Use SMART Goals for Long-Term and Short-Term Planning
Here are several useful advices how to use SMART goals for planning. First of all, start with planning by setting the lowest limit you can achieve without exerting much effort. Then, move further by increasing the limit you can do.
For example, instead of aiming to write 250 blog posts this year, you can set the goal of 1 or 2 posts per month. It is measurable, specific, and more realistic than 250. Besides, it can help you make writing your habit. If it becomes easy to cope with 12-24 posts per year, change the goal to write more.
Develop a long-term goal first before writing down short-term objectives. It can be what you want to achieve in several years. For example, increase the number of blog visitors twice in 2 years. It is specific, measurable (an increase in the number of visitors twice), achievable and realistic (as long as you set realistic SMART short-term objectives to do this), and time-bound (within 2 years).
Then, make up short-term objectives to achieve this goal. For example:
Writing 8 posts this month,
Organizing one monthly marketing campaign,
Finding 10 images for posts this week,
Making 5 Pinterest templates, etc.
If you are unsure what is the amount of tasks with which you can cope well within the specific time, you can first try to set an open-ended goal. See how much work you can easily do within a month, week, or day. Then use this information for SMART goals. It will help you be realistic.
Journalling
Use a journal to create a list of SMART goals (both sort-term and long-term) for the year to come. Write down goals for different life spheres:
Identify your long-term goals and break them down into smaller, achievable steps. Set realistic short-term goals that align with your long-term goals, and make sure they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) Write down your goals and track your progress regularly.
Short-term goals are likely measured by weeks, months, or quarters.Long-term goals can be measured by years and may have an undefined timeline. It is much easier to achieve short-term goals because you can easily see progress. Long-term goals are difficult and require patience as there is no immediate obvious payoff.
Some 1 year goals are saving a specific amount of money, learning a language, or committing to a new fitness routine. There are lots of short-term goals like these to choose from. When thinking about year-long goals, consider how much time you can devote to them, how much money they will cost, etc.
SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This criterion transforms vague intentions into clear, actionable plans. Let's break down each component: Specific — Your goals should be clear and concise.
An example of a SMART-goal statement might look like this: Our goal is to [quantifiable objective] by [timeframe or deadline]. [Key players or teams] will accomplish this goal by [what steps you'll take to achieve the goal]. Accomplishing this goal will [result or benefit].
Both long-term and short-term goals are essential to success, and often achieving one leads to achieving the other. People with goals are 10 times more likely to succeed. The same rings true for businesses. If you want to succeed in the long run, learn how to set goals and achieve them.
A long-term goal is an ultimate objective that is meant to be achieved through a series of smaller goals over a long period, covering five to 10 years or more. Many professionals set long-term goals to establish a clear path of smaller goals and opportunities that lead to their success and fulfillment.
"SMART" stands for "specific," "measurable," "attainable," "relevant," and "time-bound." Each SMART goal should have these five characteristics to ensure the goal can be reached and benefits the employee.
The most distinct difference between long-term and short-term planning is the time frame. Long-term planning looks at a three to five-year period or even longer; short-term planning covers up to a year. This profoundly impacts the goals, KPIs, and projects an organization will choose during each process.
Short-term goals might include completing a project by a deadline, learning a new skill, or improving time management. Long-term goals could involve career advancement, financial stability, or personal development such as pursuing higher education or starting a business.
What is an example of a short-term goal? A short-term goal is any goal you can achieve in 12 months or less. Some examples of short-term goals: reading two books every month, quitting smoking, exercising two times a week, developing a morning routine, etc.
A short-term goal may be paying off a small balance on a credit card or saving $1,000 in an emergency fund, while buying a new car or paying down student loans could be examples of midterm goals. Saving for retirement, paying for your kids' education or buying a vacation home could all be examples of long-term goals.
However, a general rule for long-term goals could be anything that typically takes you five years or longer to accomplish. Some examples of long-term financial goals may include: Saving for a down payment on a house. Funding your retirement. Paying off large debts (e.g., credit cards, student loans, mortgage, etc.)
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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