I love the 2 different takes on how to set about planning, and making goals. The practical and “left-brained” SMART method is functional and effective. However, we make decisions (and therefore take actions) based upon emotions, so I’ve brought DUMB goals along as well, to demonstrate how emotion and habit-building can play a really effective part of growing your business.

Sometimes the relevance of “Goals” is lost in a Coaches languaging. Here we are talking about setting objective, Key Results that we wish to see in the next quarter or next year of our business. Sometimes these are defined by taking the time to understand where we want our business and life to be in 5 years, and coming back to the present, step-wise. What do we need to have in place, to have implements in order to stand any chance of achieving what we want within 5 years.

As always, we are great at over estimating what we can achieve in 1 year, and rubbish at estimating what we can achieve in 5. And apparently we’re even worse at judging how bad we are at estimating these things!

SMART

Specific

It’s just one task, it’s not a collection of activities, it is not vague.

Measurable

You know when you have completed it, because there is some thing which can be measured, some thing you wanted to achieve.

Achievable

Shoot for the stars, if you fail you might hit the moon. Rubbish. Break down your major goals into achievable and therefore rewarding steps. I always advocate having a big hairy audacious goal, but that is not for now. Make your 90 day goals achievable.

Results Orientated

Focus on how these goals take the business towards the end goal. These are not distractions or wish lists. Only include in your planning tasks which deliver progress, real and measurable progress, to your business.

Time Bound

Say when you will have it finished by, and make every step on the way a milestone, with a time beside it. Only that way can we measure progress.

 

DUMB (attr: Brendan Burchard)

Dream-Driven

Your goals must be inspirational for YOU. The power of attraction, like a magnet, gets stronger as you get closer to your goal.

Uplifting

Having a higher cause than simply contribution to bottom line will start to engage our most power internal motivator: emotion. Engage emotion, and step forward!

Method-Friendly

It has to be habit-friendly: can it be made obvious, easy and satisfying?

Behaviour-Driven

Habits are triggered by micro-triggers, so how do you setup micro triggers that bring us to deliver on our goals?