Goals

Tonight I am going to be talking to our leaders at church about setting goals the SMART way! I really feel that if we are not setting goals both for our personal life & as a church then we might be very disappointed
when we go nowhere or achieve nothing. I am passionate about setting goals for my life & so thought it would be good if I shared my passion with my lovely King's Daughters :)

SMART Goal Setting

S = Specific
Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.

WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as create, organize, lead, develop, plan, build etc.
WHY is this important to do at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish?
HOW are you going to do it? (By...)

Ensure the goals you set are very specific, clear and easy. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight or be healthier, set a specific goal to lose 2cm off your waistline or to walk 5 miles at an aerobically challenging pace.

M = Measurable
If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see the change occur. How will you see when you reach your goal? Be specific! "I want to read 3 chapter books of 100 pages on my own before my birthday" shows the specific target to be measure. "I want to be a good reader" is not as measurable. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement..

A = Attainable
Goals you set which are too far out of your reach, you probably won't commit to doing. A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it and it will need a real commitment from you. For instance, if you aim to lose 20lbs in one week, we all know that isn't achievable. But setting a goal to lose 1lb and when you've achieved that, aiming to lose a further 1lb, will keep it achievable for you. The feeling of success which this brings helps you to remain motivated.

R = Relevant
This is not a synonym for "easy." Relevant or realistic, in this case, means "do-able." A realistic project may push the skills and knowledge of the people working on it but it shouldn't break them. Devise a plan or a way of getting there which makes the goal realistic. The goal needs to be realistic for you and where you are at the moment. A goal of never again eating sweets, cakes, crisps and chocolate may not be realistic for someone who really enjoys these foods. For instance, it may be more realistic to set a goal of eating a piece of fruit each day instead of one sweet item. You can then choose to work towards reducing the amount of sweet products gradually as and when this feels realistic for you.

T = Time-bound
Set a time frame for the goal: for next week, in three months, by fifth grade. Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards. Without a time limit, there's no urgency to start taking action now. Time must be measurable, attainable and realistic.