There is power in planning and setting goals that can catapult you towards increased business success. Peter F. Drucker created the goal management technique, SMART in 1954. When you use the SMART goals to create actionable steps, you work smarter and not harder. Implement the following SMART goals--specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and truthful--into your business action plan to increase your level of success.
Specific
Set specific goals so you know where you're headed and how to get there. You can't simply say you want to rank your blog higher in search engine results pages (SERP), get that promotion at work, or sell more products for your business. You must create detailed goals.
Measurable
When setting goals, implement key performance indicators (KPI) to effectively measure how well or not well you are achieving your objectives. For example, one KPI could be creating a timeline for each objective to be achieved.
Attainable
Be honest when setting your goals. It's great to want to reach for the stars, but you need to have your feet firmly planted in reality too. If you create unattainable goals, when you fail, that can set you up for further failure and an unwillingness to try again. Set attainable goals that you know you can achieve.
Realistic
Optimize your success by creating goals that are well-researched and realistic. Do your homework to identify all types of obstacles you may face to improve your chances of success. You always want to create goals that are results-based. You need to see a return on your investment (ROI) on the time, money, and work hours spent on achieving these goals.
Truthful
Throughout this process, it's important to be truthful with yourself and any team members involved in helping you achieve these goals. Make sure you evaluate the process and whether or not you achieved your objectives. Then make adjustments where needed if you need to implement more goals to succeed in your action plan.
Plan for Success
Benjamin Franklin said, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Don't set yourself up for failure. Implement these five SMART goals and plan for success today. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable. They must be attainable and realistic. Be factual and honest throughout this SMART goal process. Doing anything less will likely only set you up for failure.
Sources: https://bit.ly/2PP306q