How to set goals and stay motivated until you achieve them
You need to the SMART goals approach, because having dreams is all very well, but you need to be cleverer than that if you actually want to reach them
Adulthood comes with a lot of freedom to make the decisions you want, and start living the life you always dreamed of. But it is also filled with a huge number of tasks, deadlines, and choices. With so many things pulling you in different directions, it’s easy to get discouraged, spend time working on tasks that won't ultimately benefit you, or lose track of what you were trying to achieve in the first place.
That’s exactly why you need to set a goal before you start putting in the work. With a clear destination in mind, you can stay motivated and adjust your strategy on the go. Setting a SMART goal is a proven method to increase your chances of following through on important decisions.
SMART is an acronym, with each letter standing for a quality that a well-designed goal should have: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timed. So how can you use this approach?
Specific
A goal needs to be specific to be effective. Saying “I need to save money” isn’t going to help you at all. How much do you want to save, and what is it for? When is the deadline? Get down to exact figures and dates.
For example, if you want to save up US$500 for a graduation trip a year from now, you need to set aside US$42 every month from now until then. Having a specific number in your head can be the difference between randomly doing something when you remember to do it, and successfully reaching your destination.
Measurable
The next step in shaping your goal is to make sure it’s measurable. If you want to cut down on junk food, you need to make an effort to keep track of it.
For the first week, every time you have a fizzy drink, grab McDonald’s, or eat a whole bag full of sweets, mark it down somewhere. You may end up writing down that you ate unhealthy food 10 times. For the next week, aim for only eight junk food indulgences, and keep track. In week number three, aim for six, and so on.
Without a way to record your progress, a goal is just an empty promise to yourself.