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 oftensay 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. Here we go… S Specific. Don’t be general in your goal. That’s easy to do, and lazy. The more specific you get, the clearer it is and it maps out how you can achieve it. It also reiterates why you should achieve it. It sure beats wishful thinking. To get specific you need to ask and answer six questions: (1)Who? Who is involved? (2)What? Exactly what is it that I wish to accomplish? (3)Where? Where will I need to go to achieve this goal? (4)Which? What are the requirements and what are some of the restraints? (5)When? What is the time frame? (6)Why? What are the specific reasons that I wish to do this? For example, a generic goal is losing weight. A specific goal is; I’m losing 15 pounds by going tothe gym three nights a week. I want to be able to play in the park with my kids without being out of breath in the first five minutes. This goal answers all six questions. I’m (WHO) losing 15 pounds (WHAT) by going(WHICH) to the gym (WHERE) three nights a week (WHEN). I want to be able to play in the park with my kids without being out of breath in the first five minutes. (WHY). That’s the ’S’ 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.
