Setting SMART Goals - How To Properly Set a Goal (animated)

Summary

This video script emphasizes the importance of setting SMART goals for success. It explains that goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound to ensure focus, motivation, and achievement. The speaker also stresses the need for ongoing evaluation and flexibility in goal setting.

Takeaways

• 🏆 To succeed, set clear goals to maintain focus and direction.
• 🎯 Goals serve as benchmarks to measure success.
• 🚀 Effort alone isn't enough; goals must be structured efficiently.
• 💡 A goal without a plan is just a wish—plan is crucial for achievement.
• 🔍 Specificity is key in goal setting; vague goals lead to confusion.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Example: Replace soda with water and exercise regularly for health goals.
• 📏 Measurable goals keep you motivated by allowing progress tracking and milestone celebrations.
• 🔢 Define clear targets, like losing a specific amount of weight, for measurable goals.
• 🌟 Attainable goals are challenging but achievable, avoiding the pitfall of setting impossible goals.
• 💸 Example: Aim for realistic financial goals like earning an extra $100 per month.
• 🔍 Relevance is crucial; goals should align with your life and career direction.
• 🗓️ Time-bound goals create urgency and increase the likelihood of success.
• ⏳ Deadlines in school, like essays, demonstrate the importance of time constraints.

Q & A

Why is it important to set goals for success?

Setting goals is crucial for success because they provide focus and direction, help determine whether you are achieving them, and prevent you from merely wishing for outcomes without a structured plan.

What does the acronym SMART stand for in the context of goal setting?

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It is a method to ensure that goals are well-defined, trackable, achievable, aligned with broader life plans, and have a deadline.

What does 'Specific' in SMART mean when setting goals?

Being 'Specific' means that your goals should be clear and well-defined. You need to precisely define how you will achieve them, avoiding vague statements like 'I want to be healthier' and instead setting specific actions like 'I'll go to the gym three times a week for 45 minutes.'

How does 'Measurable' help in achieving goals?

'Measurable' ensures that you can track your progress, set milestones, and celebrate achievements. It involves defining clear metrics for success, such as 'I want to lose 10 pounds,' which allows you to break down the goal into smaller, manageable milestones.

Why is it necessary for goals to be 'Attainable'?

Goals must be 'Attainable' to prevent setting yourself up for failure and to maintain motivation. Setting unrealistic goals can lead to burnout and eventual abandonment of the goal. It's better to set challenging yet achievable goals and gradually increase the challenge as you succeed.

What role does 'Relevant' play in the SMART goal setting method?

'Relevant' means that your goals should align with your broader life and career plans. Irrelevant goals, even if achieved, may not contribute to your overall objectives, making them a waste of time and effort.

How important is 'Time-bound' in the SMART framework?

'Time-bound' is critical as it imposes a deadline on your goals, increasing your sense of urgency and the likelihood of achievement. Without a time limit, goals can be indefinitely postponed, leading to procrastination and lack of progress.

What is the common mistake people make when setting goals?

A common mistake is setting too many goals at once or pursuing goals that are not relevant to their overall life plan. This can lead to a lack of focus and wasted effort on goals that do not contribute to their broader objectives.

How should one approach the process of setting goals?

The process of setting goals should be ongoing and flexible. Goals need to be evaluated and revised regularly to ensure they remain relevant and achievable. It's not a one-time event but a continuous process of adjustment and improvement.

What is an example of a SMART goal based on the script?

An example of a SMART goal could be: 'I will replace drinking soda with water and go to the gym three times a week for 45 minutes, aiming to lose 10 pounds in the next three months, which is relevant to my overall health improvement plan and is time-bound.'

Why is it important to break down a large goal into smaller milestones?

Breaking down a large goal into smaller milestones makes the goal more manageable and less overwhelming. It helps maintain motivation by providing achievable short-term targets and allows for easier tracking of progress.

Outlines

00:00

🎯 The Importance of Setting SMART Goals

This paragraph emphasizes the necessity of setting clear, specific goals to achieve success. It explains that without goals, one lacks focus and direction, and that goals also serve as a benchmark for measuring success. The speaker introduces the SMART method of goal setting, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The paragraph highlights the importance of having a structured plan and how vague goals can lead to failure. It also provides examples of how to make goals more specific and measurable, such as replacing soda with water and setting a clear weight loss target.

05:04

⏰ The Role of Time in Goal Achievement

The second paragraph discusses the significance of setting a time limit for achieving goals. It suggests that without a deadline, there is no sense of urgency, which can lead to procrastination. The speaker uses the example of school essays to illustrate how deadlines drive action. The paragraph also addresses the misconception that goal setting is a one-time event, clarifying that it is an ongoing process that requires constant evaluation and revision. The speaker encourages viewers to share their current goals and dreams, fostering a sense of community and motivation.

Keywords

💡Goals

Goals are specific objectives that individuals aim to achieve. In the video, goals are emphasized as essential for success because they provide focus and direction. The script mentions that without goals, one lacks a clear path to follow. Examples include wanting to be healthier or making more money, but these are generalized wishes unless they are structured into specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals.

💡Focus

Focus refers to the ability to concentrate one's attention on a specific task or objective. The video script highlights that having goals helps maintain focus, as they guide actions and decisions. Without clear goals, it's easy to lose direction and not achieve desired outcomes.

💡Direction

Direction in the context of the video script means the path or course one takes to achieve a goal. Goals provide a sense of direction by outlining the steps needed to reach a desired outcome, which is crucial for success.

💡SMART

SMART is an acronym used in the video to describe an effective method of goal setting. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The video explains each component as a way to ensure that goals are well-defined, trackable, achievable, pertinent, and have a deadline, which increases the likelihood of success.

💡Specific

Specific in the SMART goal setting method refers to the need for goals to be clearly defined and not vague. The video uses the example of wanting to be healthier, which is too general. A specific goal could be replacing soda with water and going to the gym three times a week, which provides a clear action plan.

💡Measurable

Measurable goals are those that can be tracked and assessed. The video script emphasizes the importance of being able to measure progress towards a goal, such as losing a specific amount of weight. This helps in setting milestones and maintaining motivation.

💡Attainable

Attainable goals are those that are realistically achievable. The video warns against setting goals that are impossible, as they can lead to disappointment and failure. Instead, goals should be challenging but within reach, like making an extra 100 dollars by the end of the month.

💡Relevant

Relevance in the context of goal setting means that the goals should align with one's overall life plan or career direction. The video script uses the example of learning French, which, while a nice skill, may not be relevant if it doesn't fit into one's broader goals or needs.

💡Time-bound

Time-bound goals are those that have a deadline. The video script explains that setting a time limit for goals increases the sense of urgency and the likelihood of achieving them. Deadlines push individuals to take action and complete tasks within a set timeframe.

💡Benchmark

A benchmark in the video script is a standard or point of reference used to measure progress or success. Goals serve as benchmarks to determine whether one is succeeding or not, providing a clear way to evaluate achievements.

💡Efficient

Efficiency in the video script refers to the effectiveness and productivity in achieving goals. The speaker mentions that goals need to be structured efficiently to ensure success, implying that a well-planned approach is more likely to yield results.

💡Milestones

Milestones are significant stages or achievements in the process of reaching a goal. The video script suggests setting smaller milestones within a larger goal, such as losing 3 pounds at a time towards a total of 10 pounds, to celebrate progress and maintain motivation.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility in the context of goal setting is the ability to adapt and adjust goals as needed. The video script emphasizes that goal setting is an ongoing process that requires evaluation and revision, highlighting the importance of being able to change goals as circumstances evolve.

Highlights

To succeed, you need to set goals for focus and direction.

Goals provide a benchmark to determine success.

Effort alone is not enough; goals must be structured efficiently.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

The SMART method of goal setting can amplify your chances of success.

S in SMART stands for Specific – goals must be clear and well defined.

An example of a specific goal is replacing soda with water and going to the gym three times a week.

M in SMART stands for Measurable – progress must be trackable.

Define how much weight you want to lose to make a goal measurable.

A stands for Attainable – goals should be challenging yet achievable.

Avoid setting impossible goals that lead to burnout.

R in SMART stands for Relevant – goals should align with your life and career direction.

Pursue goals that are useful and relevant to your overall life plan.

T in SMART stands for Time bound – goals must have a deadline.

Deadlines increase urgency and the likelihood of achieving goals.

Goal setting is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

Plans need evaluation and revision, and it's important to stay flexible.

Engage with others by sharing your goals and working towards them together.

Transcripts

If you want to succeed, you need to set goals.

Without them you lack focus and direction.

They also provide you with a benchmark to determine whether or not you're actually succeeding

at them.

We all struggle sometimes to achieve our plans.

And it's not that we lack the effort, but our goals are not structured efficiently.

To accomplish your objective you need to know how to set it up properly.

You can't simply say, "I wish I could make more money" and expect it to happen.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

It is also important to recognize, that not all objectives are created equal.

So, today I'll explain the SMART method of goal setting and how it will amplify your

chances of actually succeeding.

Let's get started.

S stands for: Specific

We all have plenty of dreams and goals, but most of them are all generalized and vague

and so we don't really know how to achieve them.

Your goal must be clear and well defined.

You can only get to where you want by defining precisely how you'll get there.

For example, let's take a look at this generalized wish : "I want to be healthier" or "I want

to have a better body".

What does all of this even mean?

It's super vague and not specific enough.

A better example would be: "I'll replace drinking soda with water.

I'll also be going to the gym three times a week for 45 minutes."

You could be even more specific.

Three times per week could mean; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Every time at 3 pm.

Make it as specific as possible so you know what exactly what you're going to be focusing on.

M stands for:

Measurable

Tracking the progress of your goal is an important part of keeping you motivated.

It allows you to set milestones that you can celebrate when you achieve them and reevaluate

when you don’t.

If your goal is simply defined as "lose weight" how will you know when you have been successful?

You need to define exactly how much weight you want to lose.

A much better goal would be: "I want to lose 10 pounds".

This way you have something to aim for and you can even set smaller milestones along

the way.

Basically you break that big objective in to other smaller objectives.

So if you think that 10 pounds is too much, you should break it down in to manageable pieces.

First aim for 3 pounds, then another 3, all the way up to 10.

It's the progress that keeps us motivated, so if you don't have a way to measure it,

you will fail with your ambition.

A stands for: Attainable

Make sure that it's possible to achieve the dreams you set for yourself.

Far too many people fall into the trap of setting impossible goals.

While they may push you forward for a while, you will almost certainly end up giving up

on them.

Instead of being impossible, your goals should be challenging yet achievable.

There's nothing wrong with shooting for the stars, as you might end up at the moon.

However unless you want to burn out it's much more efficient to take small steps.

For example: Making 1 million dollars by the end of the

month is impossible if you can't even pay your bills.

A much more attainable goal would be making extra 100 dollars by the end of the month.

Once you've achieved that you can then go a step further and try making extra 200 dollars.

You don't want to set yourself up for failure by trying to go far beyond the bounds of possibility.

It will only make you miserable.

R stands for: Relevant

Your plans should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take.

A common issue we face, is having too many goals at the same time, or pursuing the wrong goals.

Unless your plan is relevant to your overall life plan, achieving it may not accomplish anything.

So if you look at my example; I wanted to learn French, because I loved the way it sounded.

However I realized that learning the language would be completely useless for me.

I barely know anyone that speaks French and I don't really need to use it anywhere.

So I stopped learning it, as it was taking too much of my time, while I was getting nothing

out of it.

Becoming fluent in French would be nice, but it is currently not really relevant to my

overall life plan.

So ask yourself why you want to achieve your goal, before you commit to it.

T stands for: Time bound

This is one of the most important factors.

Your plans must have a deadline.

If you don't set a time limit you have basically unlimited time to achieve your goals.

When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and you're more likely

to achieve your goal.

Think of your time in school.

You had a whole month to write an essay and yet it was done in the last two days.

It's because the deadline was right around the corner, so you had no choice but to do it.

So whenever you set a goal, keep a time limit in mind as it will push you to actually work on it.

Now you know how to set smart goals.

But there's one last thing.

Most people think that goal setting is a one time event.

Like you set your goals once and you're done.

However it's actually an ongoing process.

It never ends.

Your plans will need evaluation and revision so it's important to stay flexible.

Thanks for watching.

Do you have any dreams or goals that you're currently working on?

I for example have a goal to run a marathon in the next 6 months.

So let me know what you're working towards in the comments below.

Together we'll become better than yesterday.