Why You Need to Be Setting SMART Goals in 2020

It happens every year–you go into January with a list of “New Year’s Resolutions,” super motivated to “start fresh” and make this year the “best one yet.” By April, you don’t even remember where you put your list, let alone what was on it. Usually, though, it probably looks a little something like this:

• Go to the gym more
• Eat healthier
• Read more books
• Be a better friend
• Start my business

Et cetera, et cetera.

Here’s the problem. You have this general idea of what you want to accomplish, but no real structure or plan for getting there. You have no benchmark by which to hold yourself accountable. You’re not making progress because your goals are vague and nondescript. If you went to the gym all of four times in 2019, what exactly does “go to the gym more” mean? Going five times in 2020? When do you plan to go? For how long? Are you really setting effective goals, and giving yourself the blueprint to reach them? Or are you one of the trillions of people (myself included!) who might get to the end of the year and realize that although you accomplished things this year, you had a hard time being consistent with the goals you originally set?

I first learned about SMART Goals in nursing school, in a Professional Development class. We created professional nursing portfolios and drafted a list of one-, two-, and five-year goals. The goals had to be

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant, and
• Time-bound.

Specific

Your goals should be clear, and very specific. Your goal is to start a business… what business? Are you selling merchandise? Offering a service? Maybe your goal is to be a better friend. What does that look like to you? How do you plan to be a better friend? Being specific about what you want to accomplish will help you stay motivated to get there. Because, honestly, how are you gonna achieve a goal when you’re not even really sure what it is?

Measurable

Your goals should be measurable. This is the benchmark I mentioned, that will really give you something tangible to assess your progress with. I might be more successful “going to the gym more” if I gave myself the goal of going to the gym at least three times per week, for at least 30 minutes per day. If my goal is to “read more books,” I’m probably gonna read like crazy in the first two months of the year, then start to lose motivation because there is no method to my madness. In 2019, my goal was to read at least one book per month. That gave me something tangible to work with–I knew that every month, I wanted to start and finish at least one book–and I could always add more, if I was feeling fancy.

Attainable

Let’s be real–are your goals realistic? They can be as specific and measurable as ever, but if they aren’t actually attainable, you’re setting empty goals for yourself. Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that it’s impossible to reach your loftiest goals, or that you shouldn’t chase your wildest dreams, because you absolutely should, every single day. But be reasonable about what you can accomplish in the space of a year, given your skills, resources, time, etc. Your ultimate goal may be to start a multi-million dollar business, but if you’re currently at square one, how realistic do you think it is to achieve that goal by the end of the year? Instead, start with something that is attainable, so that you maintain the motivation to reach it. “Earn $10,000 through my hair styling business by December 2020. I will achieve this by offering a 10% referral discount, offering a travel-to-client option for an additional $10 fee, and using Instagram and Twitter to market my services” is specific, measurable, and realistic.

Another note on attainable goals. Usually, it’s better to craft your goals based on factors that are within your control. For example, “Get a promotion at work by September” seems like a feasible goal, and you can do everything that you’re supposed to do to make it possible, but the actual accomplishment of the goal will ultimately be in another person’s hands. Instead, maybe set a goal to acquire the skills and certifications necessary to make yourself eligible for a promotion. That way, you’ll have an action plan that encompasses the things that you can control related to your ultimate goal of getting a promotion.

Relevant

It took me a while to understand this one, because if I’m setting a goal, it’s obviously relevant to me, right? Not quite. Make sure that your goals align with who you are as a person and what your ultimate objectives are, and that you’re not setting goals for the sake of having goals. Take a moment to evaluate if and why the goal is important to you, and what you will benefit from achieving it. Do you really want to start a non-profit mentorship organization, or does that just look good on paper? Are you ready for the sacrifice and commitment your goal will entail? Will this goal move you towards your ultimate purpose in life, or is it just something to do when there’s nothing to do? If your goals don’t have intrinsic value and purpose, you may quickly lose the motivation to see them through.

Time-Bound

Last, but certainly not least, your goals should have a deadline. You want to launch your new business in 2020… but when? In January? In December? Without a timeframe, we’re more likely to put things off until it eventually just falls off of our plate. If you know that you want to lose 15 pounds by March 1st, you’re more likely to take your ass to the gym three times per week, for at least 30 minutes per day and eat less cupcakes to make it happen lol.

New Year’s Resolutions can be daunting because we all want to become the best versions of ourselves, and we all want to make the new year better than the last. We start the year with so much motivation and vigor, but life happens and we lose our momentum. That’s okay. Be gentle with yourself. Set attainable goals, so that you don’t feel as if you’re constantly striving for something that is just outside your reach. When you reach a goal, you can always go back and create a bigger one. Take the time to really flesh out specifically what you want, why it’s important or relevant to you, and how exactly you’re going to make it happen. Give yourself ways to measure your progress and hold yourself accountable.

My theme for 2020 is showing up for myself, and for me, tailoring my goals and holding myself accountable is one of the ways I plan to do that. If you want to create a list of SMART goals for the new year but don’t know where to start, feel free to hit me up here or on my social media! Otherwise, let me know what your 2020 SMART goals are below in the comments!