A proven way to be in control of your journey and your future is to set goals. Equally important is to strive for the things that are meaningful to you. To understand just how important it is to practice goal-setting, let us use a huge milestone most of us will accomplish, if we haven’t done so already. Let’s take the matter of passing your drivers test, thus earning your driving license. Imagine you just got your license and are taking the car out by yourself for the first time. You put your keys in the ignition, turn on the car, but lo and behold, you have no idea where you should drive to, let alone directions on how to get there. So much potential, but no direction. You have so much potential in all areas of your life, but you need to know where you want to go, what you aspire to achieve, and how to arrive. Rather than lead an aimless life, create a roadmap toward your passions. SMART and MICRO goals are exceptional tools for you to recognize where you are headed and how you will navigate to that desired destination.
The initial step to setting goals is to pause and reflect. Consider what is most important to you, what you want to achieve, and the type of person you want to become. Also, take a moment to evaluate how you spend your time. This may be a good time to rearrange your priorities along with the way you are managing your time. The practice of reflection will allow you to gain clarity without any noisy distractions.
The result of setting time aside and utilizing the practice of reflection will lead you to identify an area or areas that you are interested in and passionate about. Once you have identified an aspect of your life that is meaningful to you, you are ready to set definite goal(s). If this goal is truly worthwhile, you will find it much more rewarding to spend your valuable time working towards reaching for it.
The SMART goal setting process along with setting MICRO goals are helpful tools to break down your goals that are more specific and manageable. The goal-setting process is your personal roadmap. As a result of clearly setting goals, you will be the leader of your daily pursuit, in control of your journey and flying towards goals that matter to you!
SMART Goal-Setting
Specific: Be sure your goal is detailed and specific. What exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable: What measurements and tracking details will you use?
Attainable: What additional resources will you need for success? For example, decide how you will manage your time and what people you can talk to for support.
Relevant: Consider why you want to reach this goal.
Time-Bound: When will each step be completed? Break overall goal into short-term goals/steps, with assigned “due dates.”
In addition to setting SMART goals, a key method to setting goals is to break down your over arching goals into MICRO goals. Your MICRO goals are the daily goals to be met in order to reach your short-term and long-term goals. If you are to set daily, MICRO goals, you will continue to make positive progress and ultimately reach your ultimate goals. In addition, MICRO goals are more tangible and can be a great source of daily motivation.
MICRO Goals: Daily SMART Goal-Setting
- Set your long-term goal: This is a goal that you want to accomplish in the future. It will take dedication, time, and effort in order to achieve this goal. Example: I will run a marathon this year.
- Set your short-term goals: This is a a goal that you want to achieve in the nearer future that will serve as a stepping stone to achieve your long-term goal. Example: I will run 30 miles a week.
- Set MICRO goals: These goals are all about what you can do “now” in order to achieve your short-term and long-term goals. MICRO goals are the small wins that keep you motivated and pressing toward your bigger goals. Once you have set your long-term and short-term goals, MICRO goals are the bit by bit daily steps that will lead you to reaching those bigger goals. Consider what you need to do daily to achieve those short-term goals, and ultimately, your long-term goals. Example: I will run 6-9 miles a day.
Stay in sync!
Continue to reevaluate your long-term goal and be sure your micro-goal is in sync with what you are striving to accomplish ultimately. If MICRO goal is not in line with your long-term goals adjust accordingly. If you change your long-term goal, it’s simple to also adjust those micro-goals as well. This is a matter of disciple, regular assessment, and utilizing tracking tools. Be sure to write down your goals and assess weekly to be sure you are on track. MICRO goals are a great tool to be sure you aren’t swerving from your ultimate goal.
Life Application: A monthly, weekly, and daily calendar. Large board to check off daily MICRO goals.