Happy New Year! Did you make a New Year’s Resolution? Were they personal, professional, simple, complicated, silly, fun, etc.? It is best to have a mixture of all, because in the end you want to become a better person right? Right!
Will you be able to accomplish it all? It is okay to fail at it! Forming a new habit is hard! They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit. That feels like a long time, but it will fly by!
By now some people reading this are thinking I did not make any resolutions and I have no idea where to start! Well my friends, you start by making SMART goals.
Specific: Goals should be simplistically written and clearly define what you are going to do.
Measurable: Goals should be measurable so that you have tangible evidence that you have accomplished the goal. Usually, the entire goal statement is a measure for the project, but there are usually several short-term or smaller measurements built into the goal.
Achievable: Goals should be achievable; they should stretch you slightly so you feel challenged, but defined well enough so that you can achieve them. You must possess the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to achieve the goal.
Results-focused: Goals should measure outcomes, not activities.
Time-bound: Goals should be linked to a timeframe that creates a practical sense of urgency, or results in tension between the current reality and the vision of the goal. Without such tension, the goal is unlikely to produce a relevant outcome.
Now that you know how to make great goals, it is never too late to make some resolutions for the New Year! Good Luck!