By Mike T. Smith

No kid ever says, “When I grow up I just want to take what life gives me. The goal is survival.”
Nope, that has never happened. Kids are dreamers. They’re goal setters, but as the years pass we lose sight of goals and become content (notice I didn’t say happy) with simply surviving. This includes yours truly.
The great thing is at any moment you can decide to get back to that exciting part of your life. Get back to goals setting again. It is one of the things that keep life exciting and evolving. I often say that the day someone stops setting goals is the day that they lose their zest for life.
There is a simple concept to goal setting and application. It’s way more effective than the  “Let’s throw it against the wall and see what sticks’ approach most people run with. It’s called S.M.A.R.T. goals. Notice the dots between the letters.
That means its official and you should take it seriously.  Let’s dive into what each letter means and my take on it.
In the last OPEN MIKE we discussed ’S.’  Review that at http://millington-news.com/2015/09/03/the-art-of-the-s-m-a-r-t-goal/.
Now, without further ado let’s talk about ‘M.’
M – Measurable. If you make your goals measurable you will be able to realize when you actually meet the goal. That’s the long term effect.
The short term effect is that you will be able to realize whether or not you are headed in the right direction. So measurable gives you the road map and helps you to stay on track while keeping you motivated though the long process.
Ask yourself three questions to make your goals measurable. How much? How many? How will I know when I have accomplished it?
Staying with our goal of losing weight? You don’t want to just lose weight you want to lose 15 pounds. That answers how much and how many, and it’s clear when your goal is accomplished.
That’s the ’M’ in S.M.A.R.T. goals. Tune in to the next OPEN MIKE as we discuss goal setting further.
Mike T. Smith is a youth motivational speaker that simplifies success for today’s teen. For a freeguide on helping the teen in your life visit www.mikehelpourschool.com and sign up for newsletter.
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