S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Realistic
T – Time bounded

Specific
A goal should be written with as much specific wording as possible. ‘I want to lose weight’ is not as specific as ‘I want to lose 10 pounds.’ You have to know what you are shooting for before you can make a plan.

Measurable
A good goal should be measurable. ‘I want to be less shy’ isn’t measurable, but ‘I will introduce myself to five new people this week’ is measurable. If your goal is specific enough it is likely to measurable. If you can’t measure your progress you’ll never know if your effort is getting your closer to attaining the goal.

Attainable
The goal should be attainable for you. ‘I want to be an Olympic marathoner’ is probably not attainable for most of us. ‘I want to complete the Boston Marathon’ is attainable for most of us with a lot of work and dedication. If you set your goal too lofty your subconscious mind knows it and will keep you from even getting close.

Realistic
A realistic goal is a lot like attainable goal except it usually has a time frame involved. A realistic goal incorporates your real life into the mix. Expecting yourself to exercise every single day for a month doesn’t allow for the night that the car breaks down or that your boss hands you an urgent assignment. The unexpected will come up so expect it. You’ve not failed if you are making progress and persevere.

Time bound
Each goal should have a time frame associated with its completion. Without a time limit, most procrastinators will never begin and perfectionist will feel no need to tackle the steps needed. Our human natures need that extra push to get us started and keep us on track.

There’s one aspect missing to SMART. There should be a W.

Written
Write the goal on paper and post it somewhere visible for frequent review. Setting goals is an important step but if you forget what your goal is it is unlikely you will take any steps to achieving it.

Esjay Marquardt

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1. Write your plan.
   Planning is crucial for any goal you’ve chosen to achieve, especially the career goal.
   First of all you have to decide what career path to choose. It is not possible to find happiness in money, you have to enjoy what you’re doing for a living. Ask yourself: “What would I do if I would be financially undependable?”
   After you’ve chosen what you want to do, write your career plan. Figure out what steps you need to take long-term and short-term. Interview someone who’s already successful in this field. Find out what it takes to achieve your goal.
   Your plan will be your step-by-step roadmap to success.
2. Always be positive.
   I can’t stress enough how important the positive thinking is. It’s the real key to success. No matter what happens, no matter what roadblocks you meet on your way, – remember that success is not possible without obstacles.
   Always keep your chin up and a smile on your face. Frank A. Clark has noticed that “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”
3. Keep yourself focused.
   Have you noticed how often we forget our New Year resolutions by February? It’s because our lack of focus. In order to learn how to achieve career goals you need to know how to keep yourself focused and motivated. Review your plan on the regular basis, reread your list of goals daily in the morning or in the evening, just before the bedtime.
   Practice regularly visualization technique. Imagine you’ve already achieved the goals you’ve set. How does it feel? What are your friends and family saying? What is your level of self confidence now? Make it a habit to visualize your goals every time before you go to bed. I guarantee that this single tip can change your life drastically in a very short period of time.
4. Be persistent.
   Remember that you fail only when you give up. Tell yourself that giving up is simply not an option. Achieving your goals have never been easy, it’s always an adventure with roadblocks and obstacles on your way. But no matter what happens focus on your end result and keep going.
5. Do it step-by-step.
   Sometimes our goal is so big that we can’t see the full path to its achievement. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, said that “Little by little, one travels far.” Break down your goal to the small, easy-to-manage mini goals. Concentrate on one single step in order not to be overwhelmed by the huge dimensions of your major goal.

I hope these tips will help you to achieve your career goals. Remember that reading them is not enough, you have to take action and use them in your daily life. After all, success is not just an accident, it’s the set of small “success habits” that allow to turn any dream to reality.

Arina Nikitina

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