By setting goals, you are providing yourself with a target to aim for. By creating SMART goals (Specific Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely), you incorporate all of these criteria to help focus your efforts and increase the chances of achieving your goals. Channeling Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – which focuses on the timeless principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity – can even help you with the creation of your SMART goals. According to Covey, “No matter how competent a person is, they will not have sustained and lasting success unless they can effectively lead themselves, influence, engage and collaborate with others and continuously improve and renew their capabilities. These elements are at the heart of personal, team, and organizational effectiveness.”
Habit #1 – Be Proactive
Focus and act on what you can control and influence instead of what you cannot. This includes taking responsibility for your past, present, and future, no matter the outcomes. Another way to look at this is from the lens of being less reactive; we have all heard the adage, “A failure to plan is a plan to fail.” When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with the “S”…as you plan for the future, remember the past and reflect on the present. This supports you being specific when determining your goals!
Habit #2 – Begin with the End in Mind
Define clear measures of success and a plan to achieve them, especially when you are focused on defining your mission and goals. Whether you are planning to walk a 5K, jog a 10K, or compete in a triathlon, going the distance can be easier when you picture the finish line while you start. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with the “M”…when you establish your goals, make sure they are measurable so you can track your progress towards reaching each objective.
Habit #3 – Put First Things First
Prioritize and achieve your most important goals instead of constantly reacting to urgencies. The scientist Bob Carter stated one of my favorite quotes in the world, “Poor planning on your part does not necessitate an emergency on mine.” If you continue to get caught up in other things, you will never achieve your most important tasks. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with the “A”…as you establish your objectives, make sure they are challenging, but achievable. You want to always push yourself, but in a realistic manner.
Habit #4 – Think Win-Win
Collaborate more effectively by building high-trust relationships, especially with people who will benefit from knowing you AND who you will benefit from knowing. This also means you should employ an everyone-can-win attitude. Compromise is at the heart of every type of relationship – business fractional leadership, marriage, domestic partnership, friendship, and/or partners on a team at work, at school, or in the community. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with the “R”…when you determine objectives, they should be relevant to the owners of the process and the people within the process.
Habit #5 – Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood
Influence others by developing a deep understanding of their needs and perspectives; also, confirm you truly heard what you think you heard by following up with the persons. You should also practice active listening on a regular basis. One key way to do this is to listen for understanding what you are hearing, not just to create a great response to what you are hearing. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with the “T”…as you listen, ensure you are seeing how what you are learning will impact the timely improvements of the future.
Habit #6 – Synergize
Develop innovative solutions that leverage differences and satisfy all key stakeholders, whether they are internal or external to your team or organization. Also, working together can help you achieve more. There is a time and place for competition, but it is not all of the time, so your focus should be on bringing something to the table that others can use. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with all aspects…when you establish a goal, make sure you focus on how everyone can benefit from the goal, whether it be the creation of or the delivering on said objective.
Habit #7 – Sharpen the Saw
Increase motivation, energy, and work-life integration by making time for renewing activities. This can look like different things for different people; personally, I love reading cookbooks and creating new recipes that I can cook in my kitchen. You should always prioritize renewing yourself regularly because you can only give to others when you have a cup to give from. When establishing SMART goals, this habit can help you with all aspects…be certain that you are working towards today’s goal, while also keeping in mind tomorrow’s objective. That fine line is the definition of any person’s purpose.