How often do we promise ourselves to start a new life on Monday? Go in for sports, eat only healthy food, learn English, not get annoyed over trifles … In order to turn intentions into deeds, you need to learn how to correctly, set goals. In recent years, the SMART goal setting method has gained particular popularity. This theory was developed by economist Peter Drucker, one of the most influential management theorists. Translated from English, the word SMART means "smart". This practice is actively used in business, but it is also suitable for setting goals in life, whether it be "to lose 10 kilograms" or "to make repairs in an apartment." So the goal should be …
Goals must be specific
When you set a goal for yourself, you need to be clear about the end result. Answer the question as substantively as possible: "What do I want to achieve?" not just “get a good figure”, but “lose five kilograms”.
The second important question is: "Why do I need this?" You must be well aware of the benefits of achieving the goal. If you learn a foreign language just "so that it was", then, most likely, you will soon drop out. Find a specific motivation: "To get a job in an international company" or "To feel more confident when traveling abroad."
Set a measurable goal
It's good if the end result can be measured and expressed in numbers. “Take at least 5000 steps every day”, “Learn 2000 foreign words”, “Learn to cook 50 new dishes”. The quantitative result can be indirectly linked to the goal. "Make repairs in the kitchen and keep within 100 thousand rubles." The wording of your desire should answer the questions: "How much?", "How often?" and most importantly: "How do I know that the goal has been achieved?" That is why you should not set yourself the task of “becoming a good cook”. Such a goal cannot be measured, which means it cannot be achieved, so the person quickly becomes cold and gives up.
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The goal must be achievable
It is important to realistically assess whether you have the resources to achieve the goal. Think about how much time and money you can spend. Will they be enough to complete the task: for example, you want to learn how to sew clothes for yourself. And you can even devote two hours every evening to it. You don't have to pay for special courses - the internet is full of free tutorials.
However, there is no money for a good sewing machine. If you can solve this problem (borrow a car, rent, buy on credit), then the goal becomes immediately achievable.
Realistic goal
At this point, you should really assess your ability to achieve the desired goal. For example, you can dream as much as you like about preparing for a marathon in three months, but if the last time you ran in a physical education lesson at school, then this is hardly a realistic task. Try to avoid complex goals like "getting yourself up at five in the morning, go for a half-hour run, take a cold shower, and eat oatmeal instead of sandwiches for breakfast."
When a person tries to improve everything at once, he suffers inevitable defeat. Research shows that it takes us at least 21 days to acquire a new habit. Therefore, the complex tasks associated with the acquisition of good habits are best broken down into several stages with an interval of three weeks. That is, first you accustom yourself to eating healthy oatmeal for breakfast, then you get used to getting up at five in the morning and only then go out for the first morning run.
A goal defined in time
It is necessary to set clear deadlines for achieving the goal. The key question is: "When do I want to achieve the desired result?" The timing, of course, must be realistic. If you promise yourself to lose 10 kilograms in a month, then this is unlikely to succeed. And if it works out, then only to the detriment of your health. When the goals are global and it is difficult for you to determine the specific deadlines, then start keeping the "Diary of achievements". In a beautiful notebook, every week (day, month) write down the results that you managed to achieve. After a while, the deadline will become clear to you.
Perhaps the most difficult thing on the way to the goal is to take the first step. So take a piece of paper right now and write on it a list of what you can do today to achieve your goal. Not tomorrow, not on Monday, not since the new year, but today. Let it be something small and simple - the easier it is to get down to business. It will be easier further.