In an effort to help you GROW, last week I challenged you to ask yourself some specific questions and to answer those questions honestly.  Your next step is to take those answers and create short and long term goals for yourself.    To do this, you will want to use the SMART system.

SMART is an acronym – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound – and a simple tool used to create actionable plans for results for both personal and business goals.   SMART goals simply summarize your performance expectations and outline measures to determine when the goal is met.  Let’s take a quick look at each part of a SMART goal:

• Specific: Goals must be clear, well-defined, and strategic.  A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.  Because the goals are focused, you can easily measure your progress toward their completion.

• Measurable: Goals must be measurable where you can quantify concrete indicators of progress and accomplishment.  A goal without a measurable outcome is like a sporting event without a scoreboard.  If your goals are not measurable, you never know whether you are making progress toward their successful completion.

• Attainable:  To be attainable, goals must fall within a practical range of achievement and represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work, both personally and financially.  Realistic business goals should be based on the current economic conditions and realities.  The best goals require you to stretch to achieve them.

• Relevant: Goals must support your overall business mission and vision.  These results-oriented goals must also align with current tasks and projects.

• Time-bound:  Goals must be grounded within a time frame with a starting point, ending point, intermediate checkpoints, and a fixed duration. Commitment to intermediate and final deadlines helps to focus work efforts on completion of the goal and build a sense of urgency.  Mark goal dates on your calendar.

Once you have created your SMART goals, here are a few essential tips to achieving your SMART goals.

• Write your goals; don’t just store them in your mind.  A goal is not a goal until you write it or type it.  Capture each goal on paper or on the computer screen.  Post the goals in prominent places so you can be reminded of them often.

• Share your goals with at least two key people:  your business coach and your spouse. In addition, share with other people who are supportive and positive.  As part of your support team, your business coach can provide you with encouragement, advice, healthy feedback and/or a listening ear.

• Identify the resources you need to make your goals happen. Immediately after writing your goals, make a list of both material and human resources needed, and develop action plans to obtain those resources.  For example, as you plan to increase sales, cash flow, and profits, add an accountant to your human resources list.

• Detect potential obstacles. Take time to evaluate potential road blocks to achieving your goals and take action to clear them.  Based on her experience, a business coach can help you identify obstacles before you encounter them, especially those obstacles that may cost you time and money.

• Make a list of everything you will need to do to reach your goal.  Don’t forget to consider yourself.  Do you need to improve or learn a new skill, or do you need the help of other people?

• Pinpoint at least one daily action item.  The little things you do every day are what will propel you towards the long term win – realizing your objectives within the given time frame. Develop a passion for being action oriented, and remember that consistency is vital to your success.

• Identify rewards. Rewards along the way make the journey to completing your goals more fun and provide extra incentive to accomplish them.  What meaningful rewards will you identify for yourself to celebrate success?

• Evaluate your progress along the way – Build in check points to evaluate your progress.  Check in with key folks who are working with you, including your business coach, and get realistic updates from them.  If needed, make necessary adjustments.

• Identify an action you will take right now, after you finish reading this article. Do it.

Now you can be SMART about creating and achieving your goals!

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I teach my clients these very strategies that are needed to build a Legacy Business and live their best life, at and outside the office. If you’d like to “Double Plus” your income this year all while creating a lifestyle that allows you to spend time doing the things you love with the people you love most, contact me today.

Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May, 2014 and has been given a slight makeover to keep it fresh and current.