SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, are a great way to feel productive and see progress. The SMART goal approach has been proven to help acknowledge and highlight milestones, especially in regard to action plans, and making meaningful progress toward your personal vision of wellness.
Creating SMART goals can support you in clarity and increase your chances of success. By transforming the abstract concepts of wellness visions and insights into tangible, actionable steps, SMART goals effectively propel you towards your desired outcomes. Because of this, SMART goals can be an essential tool in helping you on your journey of making tangible improvements to your lifestyle.
So often, so many of us have big dreams and visions of the life we want to live, and the person we would like to become or even see ourselves being. So why aren't we all living the full expression of those dreams? Well, there are a few reasons, but one big one is that we aren't taking action. Having a goal & intention, then taking steps and making choices every day that get you one step closer, is key. Fear is usually the cause of why we create obstacles in bringing our dreams into fruition. Know this, feel the fear and then take action anyway?
"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." ~ Confucius
What if we didn't have to "conquer" our fears? What if we used our fear as a sign that this is a direction we should be going in to explore a new version of ourselves? What if we just created an action plan and simply took the next right step, stayed curious and watched to see where it takes us?
When we make the life changing decision to move from information to transformation, having an intention grounded in your values as to why you are heading in the direction you have chosen and connecting to it emotionally, is incredibly important for the success of your goals. However, having a vision of what you are working towards, and creating a path on how you will get there is what takes it from concept to action. Using the SMART goal strategy can provide focus, increase commitment, productivity and boost self-esteem and who doesn't want more of that!!!
Ready to give it a try???
Here is how you can implement the SMART goal system to support you in bringing a vision into reality!
Specific ~ Include as many details as you can when you are defining your goals. This makes it more actionable and approachable instead of just a concept that is unclear or unfocused.
Measurable ~ Define criteria using hard facts to measure your progress. This makes it easier to ensure you are staying on track and meeting your short term, momentum building, goals as you make progress. Track you progress frequently and be sure to acknowledge how far you have come.
Achievable ~ Be honest with yourself about the time and energy that you will have available and be willing to commit to. When you believe you can achieve a goal, you will more likely embrace the attitude, abilities, and skills you need to reach your target. Your goal should be challenging enough to keep you motivated and inspired yet are practical enough to complete within the time frame you selected.
Relevant ~ Be sure that your goal aligns with your values and your authentic self. Check in with yourself to see if you are getting caught up in what you think you should be doing or if this goal aligns with your wellness vision for yourself. What are your core desires?
Time-bound ~ Anchoring your goal with a time frame and then creating a schedule and plan with all the action steps you need to take in order to reach your goal, can feel daunting for many but is one of the most valuable steps. Grounding your goal with a deadline creates a sense of urgency and accountability that will keep you motivated in action. A timeline is also a great way to help keep you on track and focused. Creating your long-term deadline date and then breaking down all of the tasks into small actionable steps with deadlines as well, ensures that you are moving in the right direction and help prevent procrastination or a sense of overwhelm.
You have all the steps it takes to achieve your goals, and yet it can still be so challenging to make it happen. The power of support and accountability is often underestimated. This is why, by popular demand, I am setting up my first Group Coaching Program that will launch 11/1/23! This will be a small intimate group of 3-5 people working on individual wellness plans with the guidance of my coaching and the support of the others in the group. This will be a 90-day Online Program and will include bi-weekly for virtual coaching sessions. Keep a lookout for sign-ups, space is limited!!!
Remember that even one small step is still progress. Don't measure your success by the size of the step you took, measure it by your connection and dedication to the big picture and that you made that one right choice in the right direction towards your best self!
All the Love,
Pamela
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